After last year's soggy Thanksgiving morning, Brendan Kennedy, director of creative production at the Macy's studio, is heading into this year's parade more energized than ever. The 2025 edition marks Kennedy's second time helping lead the iconic holiday event, and as he puts it, the team is ready, rain or shine, to "show off the floats and balloons that we've been working on for over a year."
The parade's 2025 balloon roster includes a mix of returning icons and brand-new pop-culture giants. Kennedy revealed that Buzz Lightyear, Mario, Shrek, and Pac-Man will be among the new towering inflatables drifting above the streets of Manhattan. They'll be joined by the viral sensations KPop Demon Hunters and the beloved creature Labubu, two properties with massive global followings.
But according to Kennedy, the most ambitious addition is the one tied to Netflix's biggest hit. He's most excited for the debut of the first-ever "Stranger Things" float, timed perfectly with the release of part one of the show's fifth and final season, which premieres just one day before the parade.
"The Duffer brothers have been on it the whole time," he says. "This is such a cool departure from saying, ‘Hey, 3D print me something from a film.' What we're doing here is creating a world. This is fully experiential."
The float features a recreation of Hawkins National Laboratory, complete with practical lighting and atmospheric smoke. At its center is a massive "containment device" built to hold an eight-and-a-half-foot Demogorgon puppet-a scale Kennedy says is "in the wheelhouse of parade" and continues the legacy of Tony Sarg, the parade's pioneering puppeteer. He teases that fans should watch closely for hidden easter eggs worked into the design. Adding to the nostalgia, Foreigner, whose music has been featured in the series, will perform live on 34th Street.
This year's parade will kick off with "Wicked: For Good" star Cynthia Erivo, who is set to deliver what NBC calls a "show-stopping opening number."
Other headline performances include the vocal cast behind KPop Demon Hunters-Huntr/X, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami-along with musical highlights from the Broadway productions of Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time, and Ragtime. The Radio City Rockettes, celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2025, will also make their traditional appearance.
Planning the Macy's parade is nearly a year-long endeavor involving thousands of people-artists, engineers, musicians, designers, and more. The scale is staggering: more than 2,000 gallons of paint, 300 pounds of glitter, 200 pounds of confetti, 75 fine-art brushes, and more than 300 additional paint brushes are used to bring the visuals to life. Costume designers are responsible for more than 4,500 outfits.
Kennedy says that while the team can't control the forecast, they prepare for anything. "Last year, Kimberly Montgomery, who runs the costume design team, knew it was going to rain, and she suggested an HVAC system that would keep the ballerinas and 500 cheerleaders all warm. In addition, it would dry out the character balloons so they wouldn't mold, crack, or be ruined by the weather."
The 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs Nov. 27 at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones on NBC and will simultaneously stream on Peacock.
Tags: macy's thanksgiving day parade, stranger things, brendan kennedy, netflix, peacock, nbc
