"You didn't think the Yellow Macy's Stars wouldn't show up for the occasion...did you? Watch them shoot their way down the Parade route this year!" -- Official Website, (2013-2016)
Yellow Macy's Stars are star-shaped novelty balloons from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Yellow Macy's Stars (2006-2014)[]
The five-pointed namesake object of Macy's department stores first appeared as a novelty balloon in the 2006 Parade, representing the bright star that led Captain R.H. Macy safely to shore. These stars replaced the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Stars, and were the then-basic star pattern with "Macy's" sprawled across the front and back in a red font.
After the Yellow Star's appearance in the 2010 procession, the balloons were part of filming a scene for the 2011 film, Tower Heist. Alongside Tom Turkey, the Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, Snoopy's Doghouse and the Snoopy as the Flying Ace balloon.
These versions of the stars continued to lead the Parade up until their retirement in 2014, when they were retired.
Yellow Macy's Stars (2015-2019, 2021, 2023)[]
In 2015, new versions of the Yellow Stars were made. These stars use the current Macy's Star design base, with rounder and smoother edges, brighter and vibrant colors, and "Macy's" now being in a narrower font. Much like the last versions, they lead the procession from 2015 until 2016.
In 2017, when the Olaf balloon was chosen to lead the Parade, a pair of Blue & White Macy's Stars were made especially for the beloved snowman's first-ever flight. As a result, the Yellow Stars were moved back to a later point in the Parade. They remained at a later point in the Parade in 2018, with the Opening Macy's Stars now leading the Parade.
The Yellow Stars were initially scheduled to make an appearance in the re-imagined 2020 Parade, guided by a team of mask-clad handlers. However, they would be removed from the line of march in mid-October, and were replaced by the Americana Spheres, though they too would also end up being removed from the line of march a month later.
The star duo returned once again in the 2021 Macy's Parade, accompanying an assembly of Parade Brigade Clowns and a banner commemorating 95 years of the Parade. They were once again retired from the line of march afterwards, though one was used in September 2023 for two Balloon Field Training sessions.
In 2023, only one of the Yellow Macy's Stars was used.