Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Which stars are joining this year's
lineup?
[November 04, 2025]
By MARK KENNEDY
NEW YORK (AP) — Ciara, Foreigner, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Busta
Rhymes, Mickey Guyton and Teyana Taylor will feature in this year’s
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will also cement “KPop Demon
Hunters” as a pop culture phenomenon with appearances by the movie's
singers on the ground and cute characters in balloons overhead.
An eclectic group of stars — from ballet dancer Tiler Peck to YouTube's
“Hot Ones” host Sean Evans — will join the annual holiday kick-off,
highlighted by Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami of HUNTR/X, the fictional
girl group at the heart of the Netflix K-pop hit.
The trio are behind the film’s soundtrack, which hit No. 1 on the
Billboard 200 and recently went platinum. Two characters from the movie
— Derpy Tiger and Sussie — will join the parade lineup as a mid-sized
balloon and the adorably named balloonicle.
The parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 27 in all time zones and will
feature 32 balloons, three ballonicles, 27 floats, 33 clown groups and
11 marching bands — all leading the way for Santa Claus. The familiar TV
hosts — Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker from the “Today” show —
will return on NBC and Peacock. More stars will be announced later.
Broadway, Buzz Lightyear and Debbie Gibson
Broadway will be represented by cast members from “Buena Vista Social
Club,” “Just in Time” and “Ragtime,” while the Radio City Rockettes will
be there and some serious athletes — three-time U.S. national champion
figure skater Ilia Malinin and U.S Paralympian Jack Wallace.
Every year, spectators line-up a half-dozen deep along the route to
cheer the floats, entertainers and marching bands. Last year, more than
31 million people tuned in on NBC and Peacock, up 10% from the previous
year and marking the biggest audience ever for the parade.
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Parade performers lead the Tom Turkey float down Central Park West
at the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York on
Nov. 28 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
 This year, four new featured
character balloons will debut, including Buzz Lightyear, Pac-Man,
Mario from Super Mario Brothers and a 32-foot-tall (9.8-meter)
balloon onion carriage featuring eight characters from the world of
“Shrek.”
Ahead of next year's 100th anniversary of the parade, organizers are
also including balloons from previous marches, including Rainbow
trout, the Happy Hippo Triple Stack, Wigglefoot and Freida the
Dachshund.
Six new floats will also debut this year, including from Holland
America Line, Lego, Lindt chocolates, “Stranger Things” and a bunch
of whimsical sheep trying to get to sleep courtesy of Serta.
Some of the stars on hand will be Jewel, Debbie Gibson, Drew
Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw, Meg
Donnelly, Christopher Jackson, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor
Momsen, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith and Luísa Sonza.
The marching bands will hail from South Carolina, California, Texas,
Arizona, New Hampshire, Mississippi, Alabama, Pennsylvania and
Santiago, Panama. The New York Police Department's marching band
will also join.
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