Overview
- The parade steps off at 8:30 a.m. ET from West 77th Street and Central Park West and follows a 2.5‑mile route to Macy’s Herald Square.
- National Weather Service forecasts sustained winds of 15–20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, near rules that ground balloons at sustained 23 mph or 34 mph gusts, so final go/no‑go calls will be made Thursday morning.
- An NYPD intelligence bulletin labels the event a potentially attractive target for disruptions but cites no specific credible threat, with city leaders set to outline safety plans.
- NBC and Peacock will carry the live broadcast with hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, and Peacock adds a new Multiview option featuring traditional, float‑level and high‑rise camera angles; Telemundo airs a Spanish‑language simulcast.
- Debuting character balloons include Buzz Lightyear, Pac‑Man, Mario and Shrek’s Onion Carriage, with performances by Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, Ciara, Busta Rhymes and more, as organizers expect millions in person and large national audiences after last year’s 31.3 million viewers.