The 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade officially inaugurated the 2025 holiday season on Thursday, November 27. This iconic celebration, broadcast live across all U.S. time zones on NBC and Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. ET, brought the festive spirit to New York City, with TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker delighting audiences with an array of spectacular performances.

The parade commenced with a breathtaking opening act by Cynthia Erivo, who delivered a powerful and moving rendition of “Feeling Good.” The 38-year-old star of “Wicked: For Good” performed on a small circular stage accompanied by a pianist to launch the annual event. Dressed elegantly in a long burgundy coat and a matching hat, Erivo performed in the midst of the street, surrounded by vibrant maple trees and the enthusiastic cheers of crowds lining both sides of the road. “Feeling Good,” a classic made famous by Nina Simone in 1965, was originally penned by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1964 musical “The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd.” Erivo portrays the viridescent vigilante Elphaba in “Wicked: For Good,” the highly anticipated second installment of the “Wicked” duology, directed by Jon M. Chu, which premiered in theaters on November 21 and also features Ariana Grande as the magnetic Glinda.

Adding a dynamic and highly anticipated element to the parade, the fictional K-pop girl group HUNTR/X, known as KPop Demon Hunters, made their daytime television debut. Voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the trio delivered an electrifying performance of their chart-topping single “Golden.” Their stage, emblazoned with their distinctive logo, hosted the group alongside a crew of golden-gloved dancers, all dressed in striking all-black attire. Accompanying their performance was a colossal balloon depicting the blue demon cat from their record-breaking Netflix animated film. A burst of fireworks punctuated their high-energy track, eliciting loud cheers from the captivated crowd.

HUNTR/X’s single “Golden” has achieved remarkable success, spending eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The group’s journey to the parade stage included earlier televised appearances; they first performed “Golden” in a sketch with Bad Bunny during the season 51 premiere of Saturday Night Live on October 4. Following this, they gave their first full-length live performance of the song on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on October 7, where they also participated in an interview. Beyond “Golden,” three other tracks from the film’s soundtrack—“How It’s Done,” “What It Sounds Like,” and “Takedown”—have successfully reached the top 40 of the Hot 100. The soundtrack itself set a historic precedent by becoming the first film soundtrack to top the U.S. albums chart since “Encanto” in 2022.

The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade also showcased a diverse array of other talented performers. The star-studded lineup included appearances by Lainey Wilson, Ciara, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Taylor Momsen, Busta Rhymes, Shaggy, and Teyana Taylor. These acts collectively contributed to a vibrant and memorable start to the holiday season, embodying the joy and festive spirit that the parade is renowned for.