Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025: Labubu, Snoopy, Mario, Bluey & more balloons take over NYC skies | IN PICS

The 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returned to New York City on Thursday (November 27), bringing with it a sprawling lineup of beloved balloons, new debuts, and eye-catching floats. Thousands lined the 2.5-mile route from the Upper West Side to Midtown as more than 30 floats, 34 balloons, 11 marching bands and dozens of performers celebrated the holiday.

Fan-favorite balloons return

Iconic characters soared once again above Manhattan:

Beagle Scout Snoopy, Super Mario, Spider-Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Stuart the Minion, modeled after the Despicable Me character.

These are more crowd-pleasers drew cheers as they floated along the parade route, continuing their long-standing tradition.

New balloon debuts draw attention

Several new balloons made big entrances this year:

-Buzz Lightyear, from Pixar’s Toy Story,

-Derpy Tiger, inspired by Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, and

-

Bluey, returning after fan acclaim.

-Derpy Tiger and Bluey were among the most photographed newcomers, making a splash with younger viewers and families watching from home.

Labubu float makes parade history

One of the biggest highlights was the debut of the Labubu float, featuring the viral plush toy characters Labubu and Mokoko.

Standing 16 feet tall, the fuzzy figures became the first furry inflatables in parade history.

The float, part of the "Pop City" display, marked the characters’ leap from social-media phenomenon to parade spectacle.

The Labubus’ internet-driven popularity made their appearance one of the parade’s most anticipated moments.

‘Stranger Things’ float brings the upside down to NYC

Hours after Stranger Things Season 5 Part 1 dropped on Netflix, the show entered the parade with a dramatic new float.

Complete with caution tape, lab workers, and a Demogorgon,

The rock band Foreigner performed “Cold as Ice” amid an icy Upside Down-themed display.

The float blended TV drama with parade theatrics, drawing major fan buzz.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ stars hit the parade stage

A major musical moment came courtesy of EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami — the voices behind Huntr/X in the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters.

Introduced by actor Ken Jeong,

The trio delivered a powerful performance of “Golden” as confetti rained down the route.

Their balloon counterparts, Derpy and Sussie, also made their official balloon debut, adding to the film’s strong presence.

SpongeBob and Gary return to delight fans

The SpongeBob SquarePants balloon floated once again through Manhattan, joined by his loyal pet snail Gary.

The pair’s bright yellow and pink figures remained among the parade’s most iconic images, as they have for years.

Floats, bands and performers round out the celebration

In addition to the balloon lineup, the parade featured:

-28 elaborate floats,

-11 marching bands from across the U.S.,

-Over 30 clown crews, and

-The world-famous Rockettes, dancing their way out of Radio City Music Hall.

The parade began at 8:30 a.m. ET, continuing the earlier start time introduced recently, and wrapped up around noon — just in time for families to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.