The Opening Macy's Stars, also known as the Gold Macy's Stars, are novelty balloons from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The Opening Macy's Stars made their debut as a trio of balloons in the 2018 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, serving as a golden backdrop to the newly-refurbished Tom Turkey float. The balloons represent the iconic five-pointed logo of Macy's, and celebrate the famed red star that guided R.H. Macy to shore during his days as a seaman.
Each of the Opening Macy's Stars measure 25 feet tall, 24 feet wide, 12 feet deep, and are filled with 1,650 cubic feet of helium that allow them to shoot down the streets of New York City. The metallic gold star array is made of a special reflective material to give the balloons a shiny surface.
In 2020, only the third Opening Star appeared due to a health and safety strategy put in place that reduced the number of Parade participants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following this appearance, the third Opening Macy’s Star was temporarily retired and used in Macy's Balloon Training sessions in September and October 2021.
Two of the Opening Macy's Star made appearances in 2021 and 2022; the third star returned for the 2023 Parade, and was also the only one to appear the following year.
Trivia[]
- The Opening Macy's Stars bear a resemblance to the Gold Macy's Tri-Star balloon.
- Two of the Opening Macy's Stars appeared on stage with Céline Dion for her 2019 Parade performance.
- The third Opening Macy's Star has a rather distinctive appearance compared to the other two, being slightly larger in size, and having more noticeable metallic patches.
- In 2024, the only Opening Macy's Star was inflated at the end of 77th Street as a temporary placement to serve as a backdrop for the Press Area. It was later moved to its actual position at the front of 77th Street later in the night after the Countdown to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade special wrapped up.