Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2023: Balloons, Santa & Cher kickoff the holiday season

NEW YORK CITY — Snoopy, SpongeBob Squarepants, Bluey, Grogu and many other balloons filled the sky in New York City Thursday morning as bands performed along the streets during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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This year’s parade was the 97th since the celebration began in 1924, The Associated Press. reported.

The parade started Thursday on Manhattan’s Upper West Side then went through Central Park and ended up at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street, according to the AP.

Cher performed right before Santa Claus arrived at the end of the parade. According to the AP, Cher just released her first Christmas album. She performed “DJ Play a Christmas Song” from her album, according to the “Today Show.”

The parade this year has 5,000 volunteers, 16 character balloons, 26 floats, 32 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 12 marching bands and nine performing groups performed, according to the “Today Show.”

New balloons this year included Leo the Lizard which is about 40 feet tall, according to the AP. A new Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon made its way through the parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first time Snoopy appeared in the Peanuts comics.

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden called into the “Today Show” during the parade, according to the AP.

“We’re the greatest nation in the world. We should focus on that. We should focus on dealing with our problems and stop the rancor,” Biden said.

Entertainers who participated in the parade include:

• Bell Biv DeVoe
• Brandy
• Chicago
• En Vogue
• ENHYPEN
• David Foster and Katharine McPhee
• Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors
• Jessie James Decker
• Ashley Park, with the cast and Muppets of “Sesame Street”
• Pentatonix
• Paul Russell
• Amanda Shaw and Alex Smith
• Manuel Turizo
• U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Jordan Chiles
• U.S. Paralympian Ezra Frech
• U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalist Jessica Long
• Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke

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Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2023 NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 23: People participate in Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23, 2023 in New York City. Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the 25 balloons and hundreds of performers march in this parade happening since 1924. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images) (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)