NEW YORK — The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was a rain-soaked -- but no less spectacular -- affair on Thursday as stars performed, floats lit up and the event's iconic balloons drifted through Manhattan to ring in the holiday season.
A local Georgia high school marching band even turned out to be one of the standout acts of the parade.
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If you want to re-live the grandeur and magic of the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it will re-air with an encore presentation on 11Alive at 2 p.m. ET. You can also re-watch the full parade broadcast on Peacock.
In the meantime, you can see a glimpse of some of the best balloons and even Santa Claus himself in the video of compilation clips below:
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade scenes 2024
More about the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
This year featured 17 giant character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups and more stars than can fit around a table.
The parade itself actually turned 100 years old this year -- it debuted in 1924 -- but it was only the 98th edition of the parade because it was skipped twice during World War II.
There were six new featured character balloons, including Minnie Mouse, “Extraordinary Noorah” with The Elf on the Shelf, Gabby from “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” Goku from ”Dragon Ball," Marshall from "Paw Patrol" and a new “Spider-Man.”
New floats included ones from brands like Disney Cruise Line, Haribo, “Wednesday” from Netflix,” Universal Orlando Resorts and “The Grannies Car” from BBC Studios’ “Bluey.” Nickelodeon and Paramount’s “Dora the Explorer” had both float and a balloon. One new float spotlighted the Rao’s food brand, featuring a knight and a dragon in battle made with actual pasta elements. Another celebrated The Bronx Zoo's 125th anniversary with representations of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.
For those who re-watch the broadcast, it was hosted by the trio of "Today" show stalwarts -- Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker. But it may turn out to be Hoda's final time hosting the parade -- she has announced she will leave "Today" in January.
Meanwhile, Grammy-, Oscar-, Emmy- and Tony-winner Jennifer Hudson, global pop icon and Grammy-winner Kylie Minogue and Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy winner Billy Porter all performed. Reality TV’s Ariana Madix, Broadway belter Idina Menzel, hip-hop’s T-Pain, members of the WNBA champions New York Liberty and country duo Dan + Shay were on hand. Other music performers included The War and Treaty, Lea Salonga, Loud Luxury, The Temptations, Chlöe, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots and Coco Jones.
It kicked off with “Glow” and "Mad Men" actor Alison Brie cutting the ribbon.