List of Lineup Changes

Pictured here on the website in early October 2021, there were initially plans to include the Poinsettia Ornaments in that year's Parade. These balloons, however, never ended up appearing in the finalized lineup.

Each year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade features a star-studded lineup of giant character balloons, elaborate floats, the nation's biggest stars and music ensembles. However, sometimes plans can change, even after the lineup is decided, including last-minute additions and removals of some of the Parade's signature elements from the line of march. Here, you'll find a list of all the last-minute changes made to the lineup throughout the Parade's history.

List of Lineup Changes

1936

• The Bad Bad Wolf, Mickey Mouse, and Practical Pig balloons were planned to appear that year. However, they were cut from the lineup for unknown reasons.

1950

• Danny Kaye was going to ride aboard a float that year. However, he wasn't able to make it due to him filming the film On the Riviera.

1951

• When he wasn't able to make it in 1950, Macy's rebooked Danny Kaye for the 1951 Parade. However, just like the year before, he wasn't able to make it. This time, for unknown reasons.

1954

• Mary Martin, Cary Grant, and Kirk Douglas were going to appear in the 1954 Parade. However, they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons. In addition, Tallulah Bankhead was also supposed to be on the Circus float that year. However, she declined due to the time the Parade starts. As a result, she was replaced by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

1955

• The Toy Soldier and Goldfish with Pinkish Fins balloons were going to make an appearance that year. However, due to that year's helium shortage, their appearances had to be scrapped. Although the Goldfish didn't make any more appearances, the Toy Soldier returned for the 1957 Parade.

1956

• The Toy Soldier and Spaceman balloons were going to make an appearance that year. However, due to that year's helium shortage, their appearances had to be scrapped. But both balloons returned in 1957.
• The cast of NBC's Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers were going to ride aboard white stallion horses along the Parade route that year, but they were scrapped for unknown reasons.

1959

• The Toy Soldier balloon was planned to appear that year. However, it was cut from the lineup before Parade Day.
• Actor Louis Nye was going to appear in that year. However, he wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1965

• The Happy Dragon balloon was planned to appear that year. However, it was cut from the lineup before Parade Day.
• Juliet Prowse was booked to appear that year to promote the series Mona McCluskey. But, she wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1966

• Brian Kelly, June Lockhart, and Guy Williams were all meant to make an appearance that year. However, they were all scrapped for unknown reasons.

1967

• Aretha Franklin was scheduled to appear on the Woman in the Shoe Float that year, but she had to cancel her appearance due to an injury on her right eye.

1971

• Donald Duck was originally to be retired after that year's procession, as the Mickey Mouse balloon was introduced that year. However, all of the balloons that year were grounded due to inclement weather. It was then decided that Donald Duck would make one more appearance in 1972.

1972

• Guy Lombardo was going to appear in the 1972 Parade. However, he wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1975

• Melissa Sue Anderson and Melissa Gilbert were booked to appear that year to promote the series Little House on the Prairie. But, they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1976

• The Krofft brothers band "Kaptain Kool and the Kongs" were planned to make an appearance in that year's Parade. However, they were scrapped for unknown reasons.

1977

• The Motorcycle in the Sky float was planned to make its second appearance, but was scrapped after Evel Knievel received jailtime for assault.
• The Broadway cast of Annie were planned to make an appearance in that year's Parade. However, they were pulled as a result of a conflict with the Annie TV special, which aired on NBC.

1978

• When booking guest stars for the that year's Parade, Macy's invited Reba McEntire to perform, However, she declined. McEntire would later be offered to join the parade for many years, but kept turning them down since she preferred to spend Thanksgiving with family.

1979

• Musicals Evita and The Most Happy Fella were scheduled to perform in front of Herald Square that year. However, they were pulled for unknown reasons.

1980

• Erik Estrada, Gil Gerard, and Jerry Orbach were going make an appearance that year. However, they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1981

• Dancers from the American Ballet Theater were going make an appearance that year. However, they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1983

• Teri Copley, Ted Danson and actress Shelly Long were going make an appearance that year to promote Cheers. However, they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1986

• The Four Tops were going to ride aboard the Showboat float that year, but they weren't able to make it for unknown reasons. In addition, the Monkees were originally scheduled to perform as part of their reunion tour. But, they had to cancel their appearance for unknown reasons.

1987

• Singer-songwriter Tiffany was planned to make an appearance aboard the Doodlebug. However, she would be unable to show up, so a generic clown took her place. In addition, Petula Clark was also going to make an appearance that year. However, she wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons.

1988

• Judy Kaye was intended to perform as one of the Pre-Parade Acts (presumably on the Marion Marquis in Times Square), but technical difficulties caused her appearance to be completely omitted.

1989

• The Clown Ambulance was moved to an earlier position than originally planned. It was originally going to appear in front of the Showboat float, and was moved to behind the Big Bird balloon.
• Todd Rundgren was planned to make an appearance aboard the Doodlebug. However, he wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons. Despite that, his music continued to play on the float despite his absence.

The weather on Thanksgiving Day 1989 resulted in several inches of snow blanketing New York City. As a result of the inclement weather, several last-minute changes were enacted.

• The Crooked Creek Stagecoach was unable to made its planned appearance. Its passengers (Laurel & Hardy, Groucho Marx, and Marilyn Monroe from Universal Studios Hollywood) walked on foot. Its guest star, Robert Vaughn, was also moved to the Strawberry Cottage float.
• The position of the Clown Car was moved from behind the Looney Tunes Birthday Celebration float to behind the Rocking Horse toy float.
• Because many of the NCA All-American Cheerleaders stepped in as balloon handlers, their position was moved from in front of the Big Apple float to a later point in the Parade, behind the Macy Flyer float.
• Several novelty balloons were unable to be flown due to a substantial amount of handlers missing the Parade due to the weather.

1993

• Betty Boop was going to appear this year, but due to the large amount of balloons that were set to fly that year, it was booted off. Despite this, the balloon eventually returned in the 1995 Parade.
• Bugs Bunny was also scheduled to be included in this Parade, as well as the 1994-1995 Parades, however the balloon did not make an appearance in any of these processions.

1997

• Dudley the Dragon was planned to make a comeback in this year's Parade, after failing to complete the Parade route in 1995. It was decided that the balloon would not return as "they wanted to find the balloons that the kids love the most," according to Jean McFaddin. Due to this, Dudley would remain as the most recent giant balloon to not reach Herald Square.

2000

• Pop band Hanson and singer Jessica Simpson were scheduled to make appearances in that year's Parade. However, both were later replaced by other guest stars.

2002

• Alan Jackson was planned to make an appearance on the "Three Little Pigs" float, performing a song from his then-forthcoming holiday album, Let It Be Christmas. Jackson would later be removed from the lineup.

2008

• Billy Ray Cyrus was intended to make an appearance in this year's Parade. However, he ended up being removed from the lineup.
• The Cheetah Girls were also planned to appear that year, with their appearance later being cancelled due to the band's involvement with inappropriate photos of one of its members.

2010

• The Happy Dragon balloon was at one point planned to be brought back for its 50th anniversary in that year's Parade. But was pulled prior to the reveal of the returning lineup. According to Robert M. Grippo, who suggested the idea, Macy's had approved the balloon's return, but was not allowed to fly it since it could not handle the weight of the required utility vehicles.

2013

• The Arrrrtie the Pirate and Big Man Santa balloons were listed in the 2013 balloon lineup press release. However, they would not appear in the finalized lineup.

2014

• Hilary Duff was scheduled to perform on the Cracker Jack float, but was forced to cancel her appearance due to a scheduling conflict. She would be replaced by American Authors.

2015

• The R.H. Macy Baseball was planned to make its ninth consecutive appearance in that year's Parade, but was later booted for unknown reasons. Harold the Policeman was also scheduled to be retired after the 2014 Parade, but was later re-added as a replacement for the Baseball.

2019

• The Red Candy Cane was scheduled to make a comeback, but was shortly after replaced with the Red & Green Candy Cane.
• The Snail was intended to make a comeback in that year's Parade after more than a decade of absence. However, he ended up being removed from the line of march in mid-October of 2019 as the lineup was being finalized.
• Natasha Bedingfield was supposed to perform on the Kinder Fantasy Chocolate Factory float, but a last-minute family emergency caused Bedingfield to cancel her appearance, being replaced with Ashanti.

2020

Due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Parade featured the most changes made to the lineup prior to the procession, with several elements being cut every day in the weeks leading up to the event.

• For the safety of all participants that would need to travel from across the country to participate, the High School and College Marching Bands previously selected for the 2020 Parade had to be deferred to the 2021 Parade, with locally-based professional marching and music ensembles taking over musical duties in the 2020 lineup.
• Novelty balloons pulled from the lineup include Acorn, the Americana Spheres, Arrtle the Pirate, the Blue & White Macy's Stars, the Red & Green Candy Cane, Harold the Fireman, the Macy's Pride Stars, the Poinsettias, the Pumpkins, the Snow Crystal Ornaments, Wiggle Worm, the Yellow Macy's Stars, and a new set of Santa Starflakes.
• Floats with cancelled 2020 Parade appearances include 1-2-3 Sesame Street, the Cornucopia, Deck the Halls by Balsam Hill, Fantasy Chocolate Factory by Kinder, Patriotic Top Hat, Rocking Lion, Rocking Tortoise, and Snoopy's Doghouse by Peanuts Worldwide. A refurbishment of the NHL float was also planned to debut, titled Winning Winter Together, however these plans were also cut.
• Jimmie Allen and Noah Cyrus (Winning Winter Together) Ella Mai (Fantasy Chocolate Factory), Leslie Odom Jr. (Toy House of Marvelous Milestones), Jordin Sparks (Splashing Safari Adventure) and Sebastian Yatra (The Brick-Changer) were all planned to make appearances in the telecast event, later dropping out due to safety concerns.
• AJR, Darlene Love and the Goo Goo Dolls were added to the lineup in late-November, replacing Jordin Sparks, Leslie Odom Jr. and Sebastian Yatra respectively.
• All of the balloons scheduled to appear (with the exception of The Boss Baby, Red Titan, Love Flies Up to the Sky, an Opening Macy's Star and a "Believe" Star) were demoted to pre-recorded footage in the last-minute, due to recent spikes of COVID-19 cases.
• Clown groups that were removed from the finalized 2020 lineup include Aviator Clowns, Birthday Party Clowns, Breakfast Clowns, Circus Clowns, Funny Farm Clowns, Hoedown Clowns, Funny Firefighter Brigade Clowns, Holiday Clowns, Jester Clowns, Nutty Professor Einsteins & Wacky Graduates, Parade Brigade Clowns, Pirate Clowns, Safari Clowns, Santa's Toy Box Clowns, Silly Seaside Clowns & Sea Creatures, Sleepy Clowns, Springtime Clowns, Wedding Bell-Y Laff Limo Service Clowns and Wintertime Clowns.

2021

• The Poinsettia Ornaments and Wiggle Worm were both scheduled to make appearances, however both were removed as the lineup was finalized.
• Happy Hippo was added to the lineup in November 1st of 2021, replacing the former.
• Kristin Chenoweth was initially scheduled to appear on the Deck the Halls float, but didn't show up on Parade Day for unknown reasons.

2022

• The Red "Believe" Stars were added a week prior to the Parade taking place.
• Harold the Fireman, Toni the Bandleader Bear, and the Poinsettias were all booted off the lineup.

2023

• The Macy's Express Train and The Ice Cream Cone were planned to make an appearance, but they were later pulled from the lineup.

• References