A stunning float featuring wildlife from the Bronx Zoo and spooky characters from “The Addams Family” is one of the floats scheduled to debut at this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.
The 98th annual event, which kicks off Nov. 28, will feature no fewer than six new floats.
Added exhibits include characters from the Addams Family Netflix series Wednesday and the Bronx Zoo, Rao's Pasta Night, Go Bowling figurines, Nickelodeon's Dara's Fantastic Rainforest, Haribo “Candy Cosmos'' and Disney Cruise Line's “Magic Meets the Seas'' exhibit.
“Bronx Zoo [“Wonderous World of Wildlife”] Float holds a very special place in my heart. Because I think it's such a great, iconic New York float and so element of New York,” Kathleen Wright, director of production operations at Macy's Parade Studios, said at a first-look preview Tuesday. .
“I also think this year's 'Rao's Homemade' float will be really fun,” Wright said. “This represents exactly what we want to do here at Macy’s Studios: bring partners on board and incorporate them into what we do: storytelling and stage building.
“And I think you can see that in the attention to detail on this year’s floats.”
The float will begin its journey to Manhattan from Macy's Parade Studios in Moonakee, New Jersey, where it will be folded up to “the size of a city bus” and transported through the Lincoln Tunnel to the starting line on the Upper West Side. Regathering – Everyone left ahead of the 4.5 mile procession on Thanksgiving morning.
“It's a huge logistical challenge and a tough puzzle to put together, but it's my favorite thing we do,” Wright said.
“I think one of our biggest challenges this year is making sure everyone has fun and enjoying the parade, so I don’t think we’re too worried about that,” she said.
Aimed to showcase innovative designs, new floats are conceived each year by a team of artists at Macy's Parade Studio and directed by a network of carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians and more .
Wright said the traditional Thanksgiving crowd will be treated to “amazing” weather.
Wright noted that even if there is some rain on Turkey Day, the parade will not be canceled.
“We have anemometers installed along the parade route to help monitor the weather, but all floats and balloons are weather-resistant, so this parade will march rain or shine,” the director said.
The parade begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thanksgiving morning, and viewers at home can watch the larger-than-life floats on NBC and Peacock.
