The leaves are changing and pumpkin spice is on the shelves, which can only mean one thing: It's almost Thanksgiving!
Around this time of year, it's hard to ignore one of the longest ongoing Thanksgiving traditions—the world-renowned annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Dating back to 1924, this iconic New York-based parade has always kept us on the edge of our seats, complete with various performers, outlandish floats, meticulous group dances and surprise celebrity appearances!
Starting out as a Christmas parade, this tradition has slowly evolved into the incredible event that it is today, eventually becoming more than just a simple parade. Do you remember when the resilient New York City firefighters walked the streets of Manhattan in 2001 after the tragic 9/11 attacks earlier that September? Or what about Ariana Grande's uplifting rendition of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" in 2013?
The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beacon of joy and unites Americans with a common message: What can we be grateful for today?
The 95th parade will broadcast on NBC from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. in all time zones on Nov. 25. Expect to see novelty balloons, 28 floats, various marching ensembles and appearances from celebrities like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Rowland, Darren Criss and more.
Of course, we can't ignore the biggest celebrity who is guaranteed to make an appearance every year...Santa Claus!
So prepare to bring out the turkey and grab your hot apple cider on the special day. But until then, let's prepare for the holidays by taking a look back at all of our favorite past moments from the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here come the festivities!
This story was originally published on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020 at 12:50 p.m. PT.