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85th Annual

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

New York City

Thursday,
November 24, 2011
9:00 AM

Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade Photo
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For More Information

Web: Macys.com

Email: Contact Us

Mail: Macy's Band Selection Committee
11 Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001

Parade Line: 212-494-5432

If you're interested in entering your band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, click here to download the official band application form (pdf format). The deadline to apply for the 2012 parade is March 1, 2011.

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Home > Featured Events > Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade Logo Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off the holidays with unparalleled pomp and pageantry. In 2009 the parade began a new tradition by heading down its new route on 7th Avenue for the first time.

The scale of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is immense: more than 3.5 million people view the parade live along the parade route, and more than 50 million viewers tune in to the television broadcast. Spectators watch in awe as 10,000 participants — including the nation's best marching bands, performance groups, giant helium balloons, breathtaking floats and the one-and-only Santa Claus — pass before their eyes.

   View the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Lineup and Parade Route Map
   and see which musical selections the marching bands will perform

Each year, top marching bands of all varieties from across the country are invited to represent their states in the annual parade. In addition, the Macy's Great American Marching Band returns to the parade route this November with more than 250 participants representing all 50 states.

Band directors are invited to submit an application along with a DVD of a field marching performance to the Macy's Band Selection Committee. Applicants are thoroughly reviewed and decisions are made by early May, approximately 18 months in advance of the invited bands' appearance.

2011 Participating Bands

Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade Photos
  • Carmel High School Marching Band, Carmel, Indiana
  • Dobyns-Bennett Marching Indian Band, Kingsport, Tennessee
  • Hawaii All-State Marching Band, Kaneohe, Hawaii
  • Homestead High School Marching Band, Cupertino, California
  • Homewood Patriot Band, Homewood, Alabama
  • Legacy High School Lightning Marching Band, Broomfield, Colorado
  • Macy's Great American Marching Band, USA
  • Miami University Marching Band, Oxford, Ohio
  • Nation Ford High School Marching Band, Fort Mill, South Carolina
  • NYPD Marching Band, New York
  • Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band, Canton, Michigan

2012 Participating Bands

  • Banda Musical Delfines - Fortino Melgoza Gonzalez, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
  • Father Ryan High School Marching Band, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Kenton Ridge High School Marching Band, Springfield, Ohio
  • Macy's Great American Marching Band, USA
  • Niceville High School Marching Band, Niceville, Florida
  • North Carolina A & T State University Marching Band, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • NYPD Marching Band, New York
  • Oak Ridge High School Marching Band, Conroe, Texas
  • Saratoga High School, Saratoga, California
  • United States Air Force Band, Washington, DC
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
  • Wyoming All-State Marching Band, Wyoming

Related Events

Bands participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade often take advantage of additional performance and educational opportunities during their visit to New York City. Some of the activities that bands have included on their itineraries are:
  • Attending a Broadway show at one of the many theatres along the Great White Way
  • Taking a harbor cruise for a unique view of the Statue of Liberty and the city skyline
  • Seeing a performance at New York's legendary music venues, including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall or Lincoln Center

Future Dates

Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thursday, November 28, 2013
(Always held on Thanksgiving Day)

For More Information

Web: Macys.com

Email: Contact Us
Mail: Macy's Band Selection Committee, 11 Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001
Parade Line: 212-494-5432

If you're interested in entering your band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, click here to download the official band application form (pdf format). The deadline to apply for the 2012 parade is March 1, 2011.


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