Can Beagle Scouts fly?

(This special post is by 5CP Associate Editor Gayna Lamb-Bang.)

(Amended, to correct two mistakes; note, in particular, the parade start time.)

A new Snoopy balloon and Peanuts float will debut at this year’s 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

The parade will be televised from 8:30 a.m. to noon November 23rd, all time zones, on NBC-TV and also streaming via Peacock.

The 55-foot tall Beagle Scout Snoopy, wearing his red Scout tie and green backpack, with his pal Woodstock sitting on his hat, will join the festivities. This honors the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of Beagle Scouts in the Peanuts newspaper strip. (Check out the relevant strips below.)

Snoopy continues to be the longest-running character in the parade’s history.  He started in 1968 as the WWI Flying Ace, which was followed by an Astronaut, Ice Skater, Ice Skater with Woodstock, Millennium Snoopy, an updated Flying Ace, Snoopy and Woodstock, an updated Astronaut, and now the Beagle Scout with Woodstock. 

The new Peanuts float will feature Camp Snoopy, with Woodstock and friends perched on top of their tent, on the lookout for some wild turkeys.  

To top it all off, in 2024 Apple TV+ will present more of the Peanuts gang’s adventures, with the premiere of the “Camp Snoopy” series.

Snoopy debuted as an "apprentice Scout" on May 13, 1974

He hoped to become a Beagle Scout the following day...

...and he finally debuted as the World-Famous Beagle Scout on May 17.

Snoopy is back again!

Save the date!

On November 26th, the 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air from

9 am to noon, all time zones, on NBC-TV.

 

Due to COVID19, this will not be the typical crowd-filled, two-and-a-half-mile route starting at West 77th Street.  The balloons will not be flown by handlers; they will be driven by utility vehicles and joined by floats gliding just one city block down 34th Street, near the flagship department store, and without an audience.  Marching bands will not be included, but the casts of four currently shuttered Broadway shows will perform instead. 

A scene from 2019, when handlers were allowed to fly Snoopy.

 

Astronaut Snoopy will return, continuing his record as the longest-running balloon character.

For a complete history of the various Peanuts character balloons that have flown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, see here.

Snoopy Returns to Space

Save the date!

On November 28th, the 93rd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air from 9 am to noon, all time zones, on NBC-TV. You won’t want to miss it, because an updated version of Astronaut Snoopy — presented by Peanuts Worldwide and NASA — will be featured in the line-up of super-sized balloons. 

Astronaut Snoopy will be in the parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, and to promote the 12-part Apple TV+ series: Snoopy in Space.  You won’t be able to miss him; he’s 49 feet tall, 43 feet long, and 29 feet wide!

For additional information about this Snoopy balloon, and Peanuts’ history in the annual Macy’s parade — along with fun facts about Snoopy’s relationship with NASA — check out this informative article.

For additional information about Snoopy in Space, see our previous blog post.

This post contributed by Gayna Lamb-Bang.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving airs Nov 21, 2018 + Charlie Brown in Macy's Parade

ABC will show A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, together with This is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers, from 8-9 PM (Eastern/Pacific) on the evening before Thanksgiving - Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

And then on Thanksgiving Day itself (Thursday, November 22), the Macys' Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature the "Charlie Brown and his kite" balloon, returning for the third year in a row. The parade airs from 9 AM - noon (all time zones) on NBC.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving airs Nov 22, 2017 + Charlie Brown in Macy's Parade

ABC will show A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, together with This is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers, from 8-9 PM (Eastern/Pacific) on Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

And on Thanksgiving Day itself (Thursday, November 23), the "Charlie Brown and his kite" balloon is returning for the second year in the Macys' Thanksgiving Day Parade.  You can watch the parade from 9 AM - noon (all time zones) on NBC.

Charlie Brown returns to the sky!

(This special post is by 5CP Associate Editor Gayna Lamb-Bang)

This is a maquette of the new Charlie Brown balloon, used in the Macy's studio as a
reference for the full-size balloon.

This upcoming 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will replace last year’s Snoopy and Woodstock balloon with an updated version of the Charlie Brown balloon.  Our favorite blockhead previously flew the New York sky back in 2012.  (See previous blog entry for a complete history and rundown of the Peanuts balloons in the annual Macy’s parade.)

This all-new 2016 balloon will feature our good friend Chuck flying his kite, rather than attempting to kick his football.

Details on his creation can be found in this nifty article.

A History of Peanuts Balloons in the Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

(This special post is by 5CP Associate Editor Gayna Lamb-Bang.)

After watching last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and anticipating the oversized balloons of our pals Snoopy and Woodstock, I wondered about the Peanuts balloon legacy in this annual celebration.

1968 WWI Flying Ace Snoopy

I quickly discovered that information was both scarce, and frequently inaccurate.

In the interests, then, of providing an authoritative chronology of the association between Macy’s and the Peanuts gang, I spent considerable time researching the topic. The goal was to find and provide an absolutely accurate listing, at all times cross-checked with photos and news coverage from reputable sources.

Let’s start with a few fun facts:

• New York City’s famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade began in 1924, complete with live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. Beginning in 1927 — not 1928, as numerous Internet sites incorrectly claim — the live animals were replaced by large balloons designed by famed puppeteer Tony Sarg, and built by Bil Baird. A terrific Smithsonian Magazine article profiled Sarg in November 2013, and the Norman Rockwell Museum mounted a delightful exhibit devoted to him from June 10 through November 5, 2023. In November 2025, CNN updated its terrific decade-by-decade photo gallery of all the balloons ... not to be missed!

• Snoopy, in various personas, has been in this parade more than any other character. 

Newspaper ad for the 1969 parade

• The average height of the large balloons, like our pal Snoopy, is roughly six stories.

• The ground-based balloon handlers must weigh at least 125 pounds.

• For many year's, Macy's promoted the parade with detailed, full-page newspaper ads that sometimes even listed the scheduled balloons and floats.  

• Until 2011, the floats and balloons were built in a former Tootsie Roll factory in Hoboken, New Jersey. The parade construction facility then moved to a larger warehouse in Carlstadt, also in New Jersey. 

• During the very early hours of parade day, everything travels through the Lincoln Tunnel, to get to the parade’s starting point in Manhattan. Once there, the balloons are inflated with a mix of helium and outside air, just a few hours before the parade begins.

• These days, roughly 2 million spectators line the streets of Manhattan, to view the parade. The event lasts approximately three hours, and covers two and a half miles.

New Peanuts float debuts, Snoopy balloon returns in 2015 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade

Look for Peanuts characters both in the air and on the ground in this year's 89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A returning favorite, the Snoopy and Woodstock balloon will make its third consecutive appearance sailing above the crowds - and the 39th time overall a Snoopy balloon has appeared in the parade, starting with the first appearance in 1968.

Meanwhile, down below on the road, a new "Snoopy's Doghouse" float will celebrate the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas.  The float will feature elements from the classic television special, including Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree and Snoopy’s prize-winning decorated doghouse, along with several of the Peanuts characters themselves.

Preview of the new float. Photo courtesy of Mitsu Yasukawa/NorthJersey.com

(A Peanuts-themed float has appeared at least once before in the parade; it also featured Snoopy's doghouse, but this is a completely new float.)

If you can't be in New York City in person, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be televised from 9 AM - Noon on Thursday, November 26, 2015 on NBC. (All time zones; the Macy's Parade broadcast starts at 9 AM, regardless of which time zone you're in.)

---

The parade balloon and float aren't the end of Macy's celebration of Peanuts in 2015; this year, the store's traditional holiday window displays will feature a Charlie Brown Christmas theme.  According to the company's press release, "the Broadway windows at Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square in New York City will debut incredible animated scenes from the iconic television special [...] additionally, A Charlie Brown Christmas is the theme that will decorate the holiday windows at Macy’s downtown stores in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C."  So you might want check it out if you live near one of those locations!

You can see a preview of the NYC windows and a peek at how they were made in this video from USA Today.

Snoopy and Woodstock balloon to return in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014

Snoopy and his best buddy Woodstock will return to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.

The balloon featuring Woodstock atop a soaring Snoopy debuted in last year's parade; 2014 will be its second outing, and Snoopy's 38th parade appearance overall.

The TV broadcast of the 88th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs Thursday, November 27, 2014 from 9 AM - Noon on NBC. (All time zones; the Macy's Parade broadcast starts at 9 AM, regardless of which time zone you're in.)  Advance press says there will be a live stream of the broadcast on NBC.com as well.

New Snoopy and Woodstock balloon to debut in 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Snoopy balloon will have a new look as it floats down the streets of Manhattan in the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, Snoopy will be soaring together with Woodstock when the famous canine from the Peanuts comic strip makes his 37th parade appearance.

Model of the new Snoopy and Woodstock balloon

The new balloon is the seventh different depiction of Snoopy to take part in the parade; previous balloons have shown Snoopy as an astronaut; an ice skater (with and without Woodstock); "Millennium Snoopy;" and of course the World War I Flying Ace.

In fact, Snoopy now holds two Macy's Parade records: most appearances by the same character (starting with his debut in 1968), and now most balloon versions as well.

The 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on Thursday, November 28, 2013 from 9 AM - Noon on NBC. (All time zones; the Macy's Parade broadcast starts at 9 AM, regardless of which time zone you're in.) So tune in and check out the latest in beagle balloon fashion!

UPDATE Nov 13: The news site NorthJersey.com has posted a series of photos showing the new balloon's test flight, giving a better idea of what it looks like.

Charlie Brown balloon returns to the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

It wouldn't be the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without a Peanuts balloon, and 2012 will be no exception.

This year's balloon will be "Charlie Brown and the Elusive Football," which first appeared in the 2002 parade and has made several appearances since then.

The Charlie Brown balloon will be accompanied by a float featuring the Peanuts characters on the ground. Macy's says, "As Charlie Brown returns to the sky over the Macy’s Parade, his Peanuts pal Woodstock helps guide the way down the route. Snoopy’s famous doghouse is air traffic control headquarters and Woodstock is the official in charge. Checking out the scene to watch Charlie try to catch that elusive football will be the Peanuts gang including Snoopy, Lucy and Linus."

(The Snoopy balloon is not being retired, as some news reports might have you believe - Snoopy's just letting Charlie Brown have a turn this year, as he has in some previous years.)

You can watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC from 9 AM - Noon (all time zones) on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.