Jennifer Hudson, Billy Porter, & More Added to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Lineup

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has added some of the world’s biggest music and entertainment stars to the lineup of can’t miss performances that will dazzle fans in front of Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship store.

Now scheduled to perform at 34th Street are Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award winner Jennifer Hudson, host of “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and on tour with her new holiday album “The Gift of Love”; global pop icon and Grammy winner Kylie Minogue; and Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner Billy Porter. 

Additional talent who will wow crowds along the Parade route include the electrifying duo Loud Luxury. The Parade will also feature special appearances by Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and 2X Oscar Nominee Cynthia Erivo, and Cole Escola. The 98th Macy’s Parade lineup ensures there will be something for everyone during this iconic Thanksgiving Day celebration. 

For the first time, renowned choreographer Shay Latukolan will also lend his expertise to the Parade, choreographing captivating dance performances for the highly anticipated arrivals of Tom Turkey and Santa Claus, as well as adding a touch of magic to three featured floats. 

NBC’s official telecast of the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®” will air live from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. ET/PT on Thursday, Nov. 28. The annual parade, which begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store, will also simulstream on Peacock and have an encore on NBC at 2 p.m. ET/PT. 

The 98th Macy’s Parade lineup will be the largest yet with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, 10 performance groups, and music’s biggest stars, all welcoming Santa Claus and the holidays. “TODAY’s” Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker will once again join as hosts of the Emmy-winning celebration. 

For nearly a century, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been one of the nation’s most anticipated and watched holiday celebrations. Last year’s “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” drew the largest TV audience in the history of the event with nearly 30 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and the encore telecast. 

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast is produced by Silent House Productions. Baz Halpin, Mark Bracco, and Linda Gierahn serve as executive producers. Sacha Mueller is co-executive producer. 

Audiences nationwide can watch only on the official telecast on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in all time zones. An encore telecast begins at 2 p.m. ET/PT. A Spanish language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza. 

To create a more inclusive experience for blind and visually impaired viewers, NBCUniversal is proud to present the full NBC broadcast with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive Video Works. The broadcast will be available with additional audio narration describing the rich visuals of the Parade.   

For an insider’s look, information on returning elements and public viewing, visit macys.com/parade. Fans can also follow @macys and #MacysParade on various social networks for behind-the-scenes content and more. 

Photo Credit: Greg Swales and Jennifer Broski