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The 77th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2003) | The 78th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2004) | The 79th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2005) | 
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The 78th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 25, 2004, in New York City and broadcast live on NBC that same day from 9 a.m. to noon EST. The telecast was hosted by Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, and Al Roker. The lineup featured 15 giant helium balloons, 25 floats, two toy floats, 16 novelty balloons, 500 clowns, 10 marching bands, 800 cheerleaders, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.
Parade Lineup[]
Listed below are the parade elements that appeared in the 2004 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They are categorized by unit type, with their respective sponsors in bold. Home locations of talent ensembles are featured in brackets, and the guest star’s float appearances are indicated in bold.
Bold denotes a new parade element, an underline indicates a unit that was brought back after an absence, a strikethrough signifies a parade unit that was sidelined before or during the march, and an asterisk (*) indicates an element that was retired after the 2004 Parade.
Balloons[]
Giant Balloons[]
- Super Grover (Sesame Workshop) - 2nd time
- Ronald McDonald (McDonald's Corporation) - 5th time
- Chicken Little (Walt Disney Pictures) - 1st time
- Little Bill* (Nickelodeon) - 3rd time
- Pikachu (Pokémon USA) - 4th time
- Red and Yellow Brighten the Holidays (M&M's Chocolate Candies) - 1st time
- "Strike Up the Band" Barney (HIT Entertainment) - 2nd time
- Jeeves* (Ask Jeeves, Inc.) - 4th time
- SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon) - 1st time
- Charlie Brown & The Elusive Football (United Features Syndicate) - 3rd time
- Mr. Monopoly* (Parker Brothers) - 3rd time
- Big Bird (Sesame Workshop) - 4th time
- Garfield (Paws Inc.) - 2nd time
- Clifford the Big Red Dog* (Scholastic, Inc.) - 12th time
- Kermit the Frog* (The Muppets) - 3rd time
Novelty Balloons[]
- Toy Soldier* (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Macy's Yellow Stars (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Pumpkins (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Design-A-Balloon* (Delta Air Lines) - 1st time
- Wiggle Worm (Macy's) - 1st time
- Flying Fish (Macy's) - 8th time
- White Macy's Stars (Macy's) - 6th time
- Americana Ornaments (Macy's) - 5th time
- Uncle Sam (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Blue Macy's Stars (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Harold the Fireman (Macy's) - 9th time
- Snow Crystals* (Macy's) - 1st time
- Poinsettias (Macy's) - 1st time
- Red Candy Cane (Macy's) - 1st time
- Elf Family (Macy's) - 5th time (Blue Elf); 1st time (Red/Yellow Elves
- Red Macy's Stars (Macy's) - 3rd time
Balloonheads[]
- Mama, Papa & Baby* (Macy's) - 2nd time
- The Marx Brothers (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Founding Fathers (Macy's) - 1st time
Balloonicles[]
- Weebles (Playskool) - 1st time
Floats[]
- Tom Turkey (Big3 Entertainment) - 31st time
- Carousel of Imagination* (The LEGO Company) - 3rd time
- Barbie as the Princess & the Pauper* (Mattel) - 1st time
- Teddy Bear's Workshop (Build-A-Bear Workshop) - 3rd time
- Expedition to the Top of Rhino Mountain (*Ecko Unlimited) - 2nd time
- Tutenstein (Discovery Kids) - 1st time
- greendog's world* (greendog) - 4th time
- Krazy Kritters (Dixie Georgia-Pacific) - 1st time
- Marion-Carol Showboat (macys.com) - 3rd time
- Barney's Musical Playground* (HIT Entertainment) - 3rd time
- Bridge to the Future (Amerada Hess Corporation) - 2nd time
- Voyage to Adventure (Royal Caribbean International) - 1st time
- Animal Planet* (Discovery Network) - 6th time
- Statue of Liberty* (Macy's) - 19th time
- Pep Rally (Mike Miller & Associates) - 1st time
- NFL Classic (National Football League) - 1st time
- Spirit of America (United States Postal Service) - 2nd time
- Bob the Builder with Wendy and Muck* (HIT Entertainment) - 4th time
- 1-2-3 Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop) - 1st time
- Kids' Candy Creation Lab (Hershey Foods Corporation) - 3rd time
- American Classic Malt Shop (Amica Insurance) - 2nd time
- Holiday Beat (Universal Orlando) - 1st time
- The Magic of Childhood (Fisher-Price) - 1st time
- Angelina Ballerina's Magic of Dance* (HIT Entertainment) - 3rd time
- Santa's Sleigh (Macy's) - 27th time
Specialty Units[]
- New York Police Department Motorcycle Unit - 20th time
- "Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere" Banner (Macy's) - 22nd time
- Elephants (Macy's) - 1st time
- Big Red Shoe Car (McDonald's Corporation) - 5th time
- Rhinos (*Ecko Unlimited) - 2nd time
- Pokémobile (Pokémon USA) - 4th time
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* - 1st time
- "Longest Running Show On Broadway" Banner (Macy's) - 1st time
- NYPD Mounted Unit - 78th time
- NYC Tour Trolley* (The History Channel) - 1st time
- Planters Nut Mobile (Planters) - 3rd time
- Balloonatic Van* (Macy's) - 1st time
Toy Floats[]
- Rocking Tortoise (Macy's) - 26th time
- Rocking Horse (Macy's) - 47th time
Marching Bands[]
- Baker High School Marching Band (Mobile, AL), performed "N.Y.C."
- Waukesha North High School Northstar Band (Waukesha, WI), performed "Don't Rain on My Parade"
- Warren G. Harding Raider Marching Band (Warren, OH), performed "On Broadway"
- Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Indian Band (Kingsport, TN), performed "1812 Overture"
- Highland High School Marching Band (Gilbert, AZ), performed "Winter Dances"
- Riverview High School Kiltie Band (Sarasota, FL), performed "Tunes of Glory"
- Corning-Painted Post West High School Viking Marching Band (Painted Post, NY), performed "Respect"
- St. Augustine High School Marching 100 (New Orleans, LA), performed "Carnival Show"
- NYPD Marching Band (New York City, NY), performed "Gospel John"
- Mayfield High School Marching Band (Las Cruces, NM), performed "La Bamba" and "Twist and Shout"
- Lassiter High School Marching Trojan Band (Marietta, GA), performed "March of the Toys"
Guest Stars[]
- Parade Officials Robin Hall and Chris Meier
- NYC School Superachievers
- Julie Roberts, sang "You Ain't Down Home" (Tom Turkey)
- Ryan Cabrera, sang "True" (Carousel of Imagination)
- Ronald McDonald, Birdie the Early Bird, Grimace, and Hamburglar (Big Red Shoe Car)
- Princess Anneliese and Erika, sang "I Am a Girl Like You" (Barbie as the Princess & the Pauper)
- Raven-Symoné, sang "Backflip" (Teddy Bear's Workshop)
- Nina Sky, sang "Holla Back," accompanied by AntiGravity (Expedition to the Top of Rhino Mountain)
- Jeff Timmons and Camp Broadway, sang "Walk Like an Egyptian" (Tutenstein)
- Hayley Westenra, sang "Beat of Your Heart" (greendog's world)
- Hi-5, sang "Living In A Rainbow" (Krazy Kritters)
- Raul Esparza and Erin Dilly (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)
- Andrea Bocelli with World of Children, sang "When a Child Is Born" (Marion-Carol Showboat)
- Barney, Baby Bop, B.J., and Mr. Polar Bear, sang "It's C-C-Cold BRRRR!" (Barney's Musical Playground)
- Cast Members from NBC's Passions (Clown Taxi)
- Gavin DeGraw, sang "I Don't Want to Be" (Bridge to the Future)
- The Royal Caribbean Productions Singers and Dancers, performed "Voyage to Adventure" (Voyage to Adventure)
- Bering Strait, sang "I Could Use a Hero" (Animal Planet)
- Steve Irwin and Animal Cops Annemarie Lucas, Shawn Hairston, Jim Boller, and Sgt. Charlie Daye (Animal Planet)
- Deborah Voigt with the USSBA All-Star Color Guard, performed "Free to Dream" (Statue of Liberty)
- Joe Namath, Tony Dorsett, Harry Carson and Lomas Brown (NFL Classic)
- Fantasia, sang "I Believe" (Spirit of America)
- U.S. Gold Medal Olympians Carly Patterson, Justin Gatlin, Misty May, Shawn Crawford, Sue Bird and Swin Cash (Spirit of America)
- The Cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, sang "The Street We Live On" (1-2-3 Sesame Street)
- José Feliciano, sang "Feliz Navidad" (Kids' Candy Creation Lab)
- Barenaked Ladies, sang "Jingle Bells" (American Classic Malt Shop)
- Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey (Holiday Beat)
- Peter Cetera, sang "Something That Santa Claus Left Behind" (The Magic of Childhood)
- The New York City Ballet and Students of the School of American Ballet, performed "The Nutcracker Suite" (Angelina Ballerina's Magic of Dance)
- Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus (Santa's Sleigh)
Costumed Characters[]
- Piggley Winks
- Rainbow Cubs
- Mother Goose & Friends (Rocking Tortoise)
- Bearemy and Pawlette Coufur (Teddy Bear's Workshop)
- greendog (greendog's world)
- Digit
- The Blue Meanie
- Twig Wompkee
- Captain Macy (Marion-Carol Showboat)
- Maya & Miguel
- Macy's Parade Bears
- McGruff
- NFL Team Mascots (NFL Classic)
Performance Groups[]
- Music City Mystique (Nashville, TN)
- E&J Productions, The Other Side of Midnight
- Universal Cheerleaders and Universal Dance Association (Nationwide), performed "Let's Go"
- Towpath Volunteer Fife and Drum Corps (Macedon, NY)
- America Sings! (Nationwide), performed "Spirit of America"
- Albert & Friends Instant Circus (London, UK)
- Tap Dancing Christmas Trees (Alameda, CA), performed "We Need a Little Christmas"
Pre-Parade Acts[]
- Mike Miller Dance Team, performed "Holiday"
- All Shook Up, performed "Burning Love"
- Wonderful Town, performed "Swing!"
- Bombay Dreams, performed "Shakalaka Baby"
- Good Vibrations, performed "Fun, Fun, Fun"
- The Radio City Rockettes, performed "The Polar Express Medley"
Clowns[]
- Skating Clowns* - 35th time
- Macy*s Parade Skaters* - 3rd time
- Countdown Clowns* - 10th time
- Vegetable Clowns - 11th time
- Parade Studio Art Clowns - 1st time
- Circus Clowns - 5th time
- Jester Clowns - 8th time
- Birthday Party Clowns - 10th time
- Class Clowns - 5th time
- Alphabet Blocks - 11th time
- Hula Hoop Clowns* - 13th time
- Bicycle Clowns* - 1st time
- Jogging Wheel Clowns - 11th time
- Uptown Doggie Walkers - 11th time
- Stars and Clapboards - 1st time
- Keystone Kops & Robbers - 8th time
- Flower Pots and Bees - 2nd time
- Funny Business Clowns - 4th time
- Tropical Fruit Clowns - 10th time
- Rain Ballet Clowns - 11th time
- Bathing Beauties and Bathtub Clowns - 6th time
- All-Star Baseball Clowns - 3rd time
- Holiday Lanes Bowling League - 12th time
- Holiday Clowns* - 11th time
- Patriotic Clowns - 9th time
- Funny Bone Medical Team - 20th time
- Funny Firefighter Brigade - 6th time
- Banana Split Clowns - 9th time
- Car Hop Clowns - 1st time
- Clown Kazoo Band - 5th time
- Sleepy Clowns - 5th time
- Ornament Clowns* - 4th time
Stilt Walkers[]
- Toy Soldiers - 2nd time
- Elves - 2nd time
- Roosters - 1st time
Clown Vehicles[]
- Funny Farm Produce Truck - 11th time
- Clown Taxi - 4th time
- Rub-A-Dub Bathtub - 6th time
- Fire Engine - 21st time
- Clown Ambulance - 20th time
- Banana Split Vehicle - 9th time
- Parade Drum - 3rd time
Incidents[]
- One of the Yellow Macy's Stars did not make it onto the route for unknown reasons.
- SpongeBob SquarePants was snagged by a lamppost at Times Square but was freed. This caused his arm to be bent and would stay that way until his retirement in 2012.
- Tooey had deflated randomly near the starting line, but was re-inflated and made rest of the route just fine.
- Charlie Brown almost crashed into a street light, as gusty winds pushed him dangerously close to it but was moved back. For an unknown reason, his football also had lost around 40% of its helium by the time it reached Herald Square.
- Garfield suffered damage from his left paw after being snagged by a tree.
- Clifford the Big Red Dog was snagged by a tree. Unlike Garfield, Clifford wasn't damaged.
Trivia[]
- The Mr. Snail toy float was originally part of the initial lineup, however the toy float would be removed from the lineup in the final stages of planning.
- This is the final parade to be broadcast in a 4:3 aspect ratio.