20 Macy's Parade Fun Facts That Sound Made Up (But Aren't)

Quick question: How do you get a 60-foot-long, three-story-tall parade float from a studio in New Jersey into the middle of Manhattan? You can't just drive it over the bridge.

The answer? You design it to fold up into a box the size of a city bus so it can sneak through the Lincoln Tunnel.

No, that's not a joke. And it's just one of the dozens of mind-blowing, stranger-than-fiction facts behind the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Every Thanksgiving morning, millions of us watch the magic unfold. But behind the giant balloons and smiling celebrities is a world of insane logistics and incredible secrets. We've pulled back the curtain to give you the ultimate no-BS guide to the most amazing facts behind the festivities.

The Parade by the Numbers

• Total Cost: ~$12,000,000

• Volunteers: 5,000+

• Glitter Used: 300 Pounds

The sheer scale of this event is hard to comprehend. These stats help paint the picture.

• Helium Used: Up to 700,000 Cubic Feet

• New Balloon Fee: $190,000+

• TV Viewers: 50,000,000+

The Balloons: High-Flying Art and High Costs

The balloons are the undisputed stars of the show, but they're also high-tech, high-cost pieces of flying art.

1. The exclusive team of Macy's artists who design the balloons are known as "Balloonatics."

2. A brand-new balloon costs at least $190,000 for its first year! To bring it back in subsequent years, the fee is around $90,000.

3. Macy's is reportedly the second-largest consumer of helium in the United States, right behind the federal government.

4. The Snoopy balloon has had more different designs than any other character, with 9 unique versions flying since his debut in 1968.

5. The heaviest balloon to date is SpongeBob SquarePants and Gary, weighing in at a massive 896 pounds before inflation.

The Balloons: High-Flying Art and High Costs

The Floats: Engineering Marvels on Wheels

The balloons may get the glory, but the floats are incredible engineering marvels with a secret weapon for navigating NYC.

1. The single most mind-blowing fact: Every float must be designed to fold down into a 12.5-foot by 8-foot box. Why? So it can be transported through the Lincoln Tunnel from the design studio in New Jersey!

2. A single new float takes about four months for the team to build from scratch.

3. The largest float in the parade is always Santa's Sleigh, measuring a massive 60 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 3.5 stories tall.

4. The Tom Turkey float is the longest-running float in the parade's history and traditionally serves as the event's grand opener.

Floats are designed to be folded and transported through the Lincoln Tunnel from New Jersey

The Floats: Engineering Marvels on Wheels

The People Power: Wrangling the Giants

It takes a small army to guide these massive creations down the 2.5-mile route.

1. Each giant balloon requires between 80 and 100 volunteer handlers to guide it.

2. The lead handler for each balloon is called a "Balloon Pilot," a prestigious role that requires physical training, as they have to walk the entire route backward.

3. To be a balloon handler, you have to weigh at least 120 pounds and be in good health to be able to physically manage the massive balloons.

4. It takes 45 to 90 minutes to inflate a single balloon the day before the parade, but it takes only 15 minutes to deflate one at the finish line.

For most of us, the parade is a TV event. Here's a peek behind the curtain.

1. The parade was first broadcast on the radio in 1932 and first televised nationally on NBC in 1947.

2. Your ears aren't deceiving you! All the singers on the parade floats lip-sync. The acoustics and sound gear on a moving float just aren't good enough for a quality live performance.

3. Al Roker holds the record for the longest-serving parade host, having been a part of the broadcast for over 30 years.

4. The iconic Radio City Rockettes have been a staple of the broadcast since they first performed in the parade way back in 1957.

5. Those bleacher seats you see in Herald Square with the perfect view? They are not for sale and are reserved exclusively for Macy's guests and employees.

6. The parade is the world's largest, but not the oldest. That honor goes to the parade in Philadelphia.

7. The coldest parade on record was in 2018, with a temperature of 19°F.

The Broadcast: What You Don't See on TV

Keep the Parade Adventure Going!

Can't get enough of the Macy's Parade? We've got you covered.

• Want to see the new stars of this year's show? Dive into our First Look at the New 2025 Balloons.

• Planning to watch? Get the complete lineup, route map, and pro-tips in our Ultimate Guide to the 2025 Parade.
  

EVERY New Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon! 2025 | PLUS! 1 Mystery Balloon 🎈

This is the ultimate guide for planning your NYC holiday trip. We break down the real-world scale, fun facts, and history behind each new character making its first flight in New York City.

Macy's Balloon Inflation Worth It? The Ultimate 2025 Insider's Guide

Planning your trip to New York City? Wondering if the Macy's Balloon Inflation is worth the crowds? We answer every question you have: Is it free? How long does it take? What is the exact location and address? This is your complete playbook for seeing the giants of the parade come to life near the American Museum of Natural History.

Coming Soon: The WEIRDEST Parade History!

Think you know the parade's history? Think again. We're currently digging through the archives to uncover the strangest secrets and most unbelievable moments from the parade's 99-year history, from live zoo animals marching down Broadway to the time they used to just release the balloons into the sky!

This is one you won't want to miss. Make sure you're subscribed to our YouTube channel so you get notified the second it drops!

The Complete American Travel Fun Parade Collection

Reading is great, but sometimes you just need to see the magic for yourself. Welcome to our official video vault for everything related to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Here you'll find our complete collection of guides, insider secrets, and first looks—past, present, and future.

Dive in!

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Your Holiday Travel Playbook

Ready to tackle the rest of the holiday season? Dive into our full collection of straight-up guides, pro-tips, and travel hacks for everything from Thanksgiving to New Year's, all designed to help you travel smarter and celebrate bigger.