Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Celebrating Thanksgiving Day

In many countries around the world, family members and friends come together to celebrate an annual day of gratitude marked by special foods and festivities. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day occurs on the final Thursday of November, and a cornerstone of the celebrations is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, attended by 3.5 million people of all ages and watched by over 50 million more on television.

The 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Balloon Inflation

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been staged annually in New York City since 1924, when Macy's immigrant employees, drawing on traditions in their origin countries, staged a parade to celebrate the start of the holiday season.

Today, the Macy's Parade Studio, based in Moonhatchie, New Jersey, produces what has become the largest and most spectacular parade in the country. It features performances by top stars; elaborate floats; gigantic helium-filled balloons; numerous marching bands; and 4,000 volunteers—Macy's colleagues and their friends and families. The evening before the Parade, Macy's stages a balloon inflation event where the public can watch the balloons come to life.


A Day of Gratitude and Togetherness

Countries the world over have set aside a special day to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and express a spirit of thankfulness. While each nation marks the day with unique traditions, they all center around a sense of community and the pleasures of preparing delicious foods and enjoying a feast in the company of others.  

A Time for Cooking and Sharing

The days before Thanksgiving Day are filled with excitement: It's the busiest time of year at the nation's airports and on the roads as people travel near and far to spend the holiday with loved ones. Grocery store carts brim with ingredients of traditional dishes and mouthwatering smells waft through the homes of celebrants as they prepare their favorite recipes.

A heady spirit of anticipation fills the air as people look forward to connecting with their friends and family, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and starting their holiday shopping. On Thanksgiving Day, guests often join the host in the kitchen to help cook the feast, or they contribute to it by bringing foods and drinks they make or purchase—from special side dishes and desserts to wines. And, they typically honor the host's or hostess' hospitality by giving them a gift—an item for their home, table or personal use, such as a sweet treat, a game that a group can enjoy playing, decorative serving pieces or a candle.

This day of gratitude started off as a celebration of the harvest and, to this day, the focus of Thanksgiving is its spirit of togetherness, generosity and abundance.

Bring a Gift Along

Honor Thanksgiving Day hosts and hostesses with the perfect $50 or under gift from Macy’s.

Thanksgiving Recipes by Macy's Chefs

This Thanksgiving feast comprises some of the Macy's Culinary Council's most delectable autumn dishes and expresses America’s culinary diversity.