It’s that time of year once again, the legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is upon us. Not only is the parade a lot of fun for young and old alike, but it is also a good representation of popular culture and what is relevant each year.
Some balloons came and went, but we have compiled a list of what we think are the best representations of the fun the parade represents.
Design, impact, and legacy were also taken into consideration as we count down the 15 Best Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade balloons of all time, ranked.
15.SpongeBob SquarePants 2004
SpongeBob made his Macy’s debut in 2004 to promote his first movie. Towering above the crowd, like a porous overlord, SpongeBob would become a parade mainstay for years to come.
14.Dexter’s Laboratory 1998
The boy genius never looked better, soaring over the streets of New York. The design Itself was fantastic, but adding a jetpack to explain his hovering over the city was the cherry on top on top.
13.Minions 2022
Minions have taken over all forms of popular culture, so it’s no surprise they would eventually get their own balloon. Stuart the Minion, with a banana in hand, perfectly captured the essence of the hit franchise. This was also the first balloon to be designed with a 3D printer.
12.Shrek 2007
This balloon is something out of a brain-rot fever dream, as the giant ogre towers over most balloons you would see in the parade. It’s shocking that Shrek didn’t make his parade debut until his third movie, but better late than never. Shrek was also named as the Macy’s Holiday Ambassador that year.
11.Red Power Ranger 2014
Given the popular culture impact Power Rangers has, it was surprising it took this long for the Power Rangers to get a balloon. Perfectly capturing the essence of the Red Ranger, plus it was the longest balloon in parade history.
10.Spider-Man 1987
Ol’ Spidey made his debut a long time ago and has seen a few iterations of the character in the parade since, but the original is a Thanksgiving classic, setting the bar for superhero balloons to come.
9.One Piece 2023
Monkey D. Luffy’s Thanksgiving debut further showed anime’s impact on the world, Not to mention Monkey’s design made it the widest balloon in parade history. Unfortunately, this gorgeous balloon was not meant to last as a tree punctured Monkey’s hat and was deflated mid-parade.
8.Sonic The Hedgehog 1993
Sonic was the first video game character to be featured in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unfortunately, this was another balloon victim to inclement weather, and not only did it get deflated due to high winds, but a couple of people suffered minor injuries.
7.Grogu 2021
It was only right to have everyone’s favorite pint-sized Jedi prospect featured in the legendary parade. What made this Grogu unique was that it was designed to look like Grogu’s Funko Pop figure. Another fun addition was the smaller joystick top balloon that Grogu chased throughout the parade.
6.Buzz Lightyear 2008
This immaculately designed balloon was a perfect debut for everyone’s favorite space ranger. Every feature of this toy was captured accurately, including the space helmet. Much like other popular characters, Buzz would have further iterations in years to come but this original design of him flying over the city is easily the best one.
5.Goku 2018
Dragon Ball Z is easily one of, if not the most popular, anime of all time, so it was only fitting that the hero of the franchise cemented his place in parade history. Featuring his Super Saiyan Blue form, Goku fit right in with other legendary figures of the parade.
4.The Rugrats 1997
One of the more intricate balloon designs in parade history, the Rugrats made their debut in impressive form. Tommy Pickles and Chuckie Finster riding the ever loyal Spike became a favorite in parade history. You got three characters in one balloon, so what’s not to love?
3.Bart Simpson 1990
It’s hard to put into words the grip that Bart Simpson had on popular culture in the '90s. Shortly after the debut of the Simpsons TV series, Bart made his Thanksgiving debut riding his trusty skateboard. The balloon suffered a leak during the parade, but some quick thinking saved the balloon, and it continued on to finish the parade.
2.Scrat from Ice Age 2015
Easily the funniest balloon in recent history, the ever-dedicated Scrat from the hit franchise Ice Age immediately left an impact on the 2015 parade. Always after his beloved acorn, this balloon hilariously depicts Scrat chasing said acorn over the crowd.
1.Adventure Time 2013
A delightful balloon to say the least, Adventure Time’s heroes Finn and Jake were perfectly represented for this legendary appearance. The design of these characters is iconic enough for the show, but to see it showcased as well as it was made, it was a delight for fans around the world.