The 2022 holiday season got underway with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade taking place on Thursday, November 24, with an estimated 3 million people gathering in New York City to enjoy the festivities.
As always, the Today show’s Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie led the NBC coverage of the parade, which travels the 2.5-mile route from Central Park West to Seventh Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square.
Sadly, the Today show’s Al Roker was missing the parade for the first time in 27 years due to his ongoing health battle — Dylan Dreyer stood in for the beloved weathercaster. Kotb and Guthrie sent their well wishes to Roker at the top of today’s broadcast.
We’re sending lots of love to @alroker! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/o1b6vzdz2f
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
When the @Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off, right @hodakotb! 🤩 #MacysParade pic.twitter.com/uqQkdWUi0i
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
We miss you @alroker. Hope you have a quick recovery. @DylanDreyerNBC you’re doing great!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🌽🍁🦃 #MacysParade
— Jamie Bland (@JamieBland92) November 24, 2022
Really gonna miss Al Roker being openly drunk on live tv this thanksgiving it really is becoming part of tradition to see that #MacysParade
— Michael 🏹 (@michael_filardo) November 24, 2022
Wait…NO AL ROKER?!??! 😭 He’s one of the biggest things I look forward to #MacysThanksgivingDayParade! Feel better Al! #MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingParade
— Angie C. (@Music_Is_Me88) November 24, 2022
This year’s parade kicked off with a special performance of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” by Lea Michele and the cast of Broadway’s Funny Girl. Additional Broadway performances included showstoppers from Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, and Disney’s The Lion King, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
PAAARAAAAAAAAAADE! ⭐ @FunnyGirlBwy #MacysParade pic.twitter.com/ouFEyBEq7V
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
Lea Michele’s comeback is official. Nothing like opening the Macy’s Parade with Don’t Rain on My Parade! Spectacular! #leamichele #funnygirlonbroadway #MacysParade pic.twitter.com/XF9xhSXwVH
— Christy in Philly (@cms519) November 24, 2022
This Lion King performance is giving me chills! So good! #MacysParade
— Michael Pegram (@MichaelPNews) November 24, 2022
The Lion King performance was good #MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingParade pic.twitter.com/L7vPl2t8OV
— Allison the disney diva (@Daviesallison1A) November 24, 2022
The Broadway acts were followed by a performance from The Rockettes and a live phone call with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. However, some technical difficulties during the interview led to many viewers calling the segment “awkward.”
OH NO FAILED BIDEN CALL SEGMENT IS FLOPPING HARD ON LIVE TV oh thank gosh he’s there still a terrible segment #macysparade
— Jeremy Bent (@JeremyMBent) November 24, 2022
This is so awkward and stupid#MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingParade pic.twitter.com/MIgGhdc1MG
— barbarabroccoli tateellen #BLM (@tateellen) November 24, 2022
Jill and Joe getting confused about the phone call like a pair of cute grandparents is what I live for!!! #MacysParade @POTUS @FLOTUS
— Ryanthebutt (@RealRyanthebutt) November 24, 2022
Of course, most people came out to see the parade floats and giant character balloons, which have been a staple of the event since 1927. Joining this year’s line-up were the popular children’s show Bluey from BBC Studios, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Abrams Books, DINO and Baby DINO from Sinclair Oil, and Stuart the Minion from Illumination.
Bluey, a new balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats down Central Park West in New York City #newyork #newyorkcity #nyc #macysparade @agreatbigcity pic.twitter.com/pAutWUorcH
— Gary Hershorn (@GaryHershorn) November 24, 2022
Returning balloon favorites included Astronaut Snoopy by PEANUTS Worldwide, Ada Twist, Scientist by Netflix, Pillsbury Doughboy by Pillsbury, Papa Smurf from Nickelodeon, Pikachu & Eevee by The Pokémon Company International, SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary by Nickelodeon, and a Funko Pop!-inspired Grogu by Funko and Lucasfilm.
Hi Baby Yoda!!! 🥺 #MacysParade @starwars pic.twitter.com/s25QkHwvX1
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
.@pawpatrol is here on the #MacysParade! pic.twitter.com/XumLwvn7JK
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
My favourite float….Snoopy! #Apollo #space #NASA #Astronaut #MacysThanksgivingParade #balloon #MacysParade #peanuts #charliebrownthanksgiving #snoopy pic.twitter.com/tS1yiFOvcj
— Helen Petkopoulos (@prettybaby2525) November 24, 2022
Paula Abdul wowed with a performance of her classic hits “Straight Up.” Other celebrities on hand included Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Blue’s Clues & You! host Josh Dela Cruz, Gloria, Sasha and Emily Estefan, Sean Paul, Joss Stone, Ziggy Marley, Kirk Franklin, Mario Lopez, Dionne Warwick, the cast and muppets of Sesame Street, and the cast of Peacock’s Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin (Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland, and Flula Borg), and many more.
Absolutely iconic, always! @PaulaAbdul on the @Jennieo float! #MacysParade ⭐ pic.twitter.com/1XWOEjFODh
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 24, 2022
Paula Abdul managed to invent lip-synched tap dancing. 😆 Love her though! #MacysParade pic.twitter.com/CFNs6J2vIe
— The Q105 Saturday Night Dance Party (@Q105SNDP) November 24, 2022
Great performance by @PaulaAbdul at the #MacysParade! So great to see her dance again! 👏🏻
— Cynthia (@therealcynshady) November 24, 2022
okay so i don’t think i ever stopped having a crush on Jimmy Fallon pic.twitter.com/75aBwfDcan
— grace 🕸 (@heartshapedvoid) November 24, 2022
Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, Tuesday, November 24, from 9 am et, NBC
