Seven New Character Balloons Take Flight in Test
Balloonfest test run in East Rutherford, New Jersey previews balloons for the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Animation
Seven new character balloons, including Joe Cool, Snoopy's alter ego, were tested Saturday above MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, during Balloonfest. The balloons are slated to debut in the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Why it matters
The test run gives the parade's production team a preview of how the new inflatables handle flight before the national broadcast. The additions join more than 100 inflatables in the parade, which has featured character balloons since 1927.
The Bluey balloon measures 47.2 feet tall, 47 feet long and 27.8 feet wide, while the Billie Brightpaw balloon is 29.5 feet tall. Each balloon requires up to 100 handlers, and the number varies with balloon size and route.
The players
Macy's
Macy's is the department store chain that organizes the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan, which has featured giant character balloons for decades.
Snoopy
Snoopy is the beagle from Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, and Joe Cool is his alter ego who is among the new balloons being tested.
The details
Balloon handlers, a flight management team and a vehicle team operate the inflatables during the test. The seven new balloons include Joe Cool, Bluey, Buckaroo Bob the Minion, Hello Kitty Big Apple, Billie Brightpaw and Underdog.
Timeline
1927: Character balloons first unveiled at the parade.
1984: Underdog last appeared in the parade.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Balloonfest test run above MetLife Stadium.
Thanksgiving Day 2026: 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut of the new balloons.
Seasonal Patterns
The 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade continues a tradition of character balloons that began in 1927, when the first inflatables debuted on the route. The seven new additions extend that lineage into a centennial year.
Viewers can watch the parade live through national broadcast coverage on Thanksgiving Day, where the new balloons will appear. The parade route runs 2.5 miles from West 77th Street and Central Park West to Macy's Herald Square on West 34th Street.
The takeaway
Character balloons have been a fixture of the parade since 1927, and the seven new additions show the tradition still expanding a century later. Readers planning to watch can track the centennial broadcast on Thanksgiving Day.
What happens next
The seven new balloons are scheduled to debut in the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving Day 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Animation coverage tied to the characters featured in the parade.
