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Doughboy balloon floating above the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. A red star is in front of the image with the words “Macy’s THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE” across it.
Created by Joanna

Don’t Miss the Doughboy in the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®

For many of us, Thanksgiving morning is about more than prepping for the big meal—it’s the true kickoff to the holiday season. Picture cozy jammies, comfy couches, and the whole family gathered around the TV as larger-than-life balloons float between New York City skyscrapers. Maybe you remember watching as a kid while your parents bustled in the kitchen, or maybe now you’re the one sneaking peeks at the Parade between stirring pots and basting turkeys. Either way, there’s nothing like pausing to snuggle up with the kids, enjoy a warm Pillsbury™ breakfast treat, and cheer as the Doughboy balloon makes his way across the screen.

This year’s 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® is a spectacle you won’t want to miss. So fire up the oven, get cozy, and tune in on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones for a morning of magic and fun!

A Short History of the Parade—and the Pillsbury Doughboy Balloon

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® made its debut in the 1924, when Macy's colleagues wanted to celebrate the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival their European parents had loved.

Since then, the Parade has grown exponentially to include more than 60 giant character balloon variations (with fun names like “balloonicles” and “trycallons”). The Doughboy balloon is 23-feet long, 33-feet wide and 55-feet tall.

Fun Fact: Over 250,000 Pillsbury™ Crescent Rolls can fit inside the Doughboy balloon!

The giant Pillsbury Doughboy balloon debuted in 2009, and over the past 16 years, we think he's only gotten more loveable with age!

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® by the Numbers

🎈 54 feet tall — the height of the Doughboy balloon (that’s about the size of a 5-story building!)

⏱️ 90 minutes — how long it takes to inflate a single giant balloon

🎉 17 balloons — the number of giant characters that floated in the 2024 Parade

Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Cinnamon Rolls
Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Cinnamon Rolls
How do you know it’s a holiday morning? The delicious smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafting out of the kitchen. Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls make sweet holiday memories easy.
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