Believe In The Magic
82nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® Kicks Off The Holiday Season With Giant Balloons, Floats, Marching Bands And The One-And-Only Santa Claus

Stars joining the line-up include Trace Adkins, David Archuleta, Ashanti, Charice, Kristen Chenoweth, Clique Girlz, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, Grandma and the Big Apple Circus, the cast of the Broadway Musical Hair, Harajuku Girls, Kermit the Frog, Lang Lang and the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Miss U.S.A. 2008- Crystle Stewart, Idina Menzel, PushPlay, Darius Rucker, Shontelle, James Taylor, Uno the 2008 Westminster Dog Show Champion, Varsity Fanclub and Andy Williams

New York, NY- November 2008- The magic begins this Thanksgiving at the sound of Let's Have a Parade™, stirring Oohs, Ahhs and Wows from the crowds and millions of families across the nation. Once again Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® kicks off the holidays with unparalleled pomp and pageantry. This annual whimsical procession goes down Broadway for the 82nd time on Thursday, November 27 at 9:00 AM and will once again cause a sensation delighting over 3.5 million live spectators and over 50 million viewers nationwide. America's Parade and favorite holiday tradition steps off with over 10,000 participants including Macy's volunteers, the nation's best Marching bands, amazing performance groups, cheerleaders, clowns, giant character helium balloons, astonishing floats, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.

A tradition that began with a small group of Macy's employees, Zoo animals, and merry groups of marching bands in 1924, the Macy's Parade has grown into a national treasure. With its goal firm and clear, to entertain children everywhere, the Macy's Parade will prove that guiding mission once again. This year, the Parade will also help celebrate a momentous milestone, Macy's own 150th Birthday. From fun moments including a salute by the Spirit of America cheerleaders to a Macy's sesquicentennial hot air balloon, groups of 150 dancers, and gold and silver Macy's star balloons, the Parade will be a special part of Macy's 150th birthday bash.

"Macy's has been creating magical moments for 150 years," says Robin Hall, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Macy's famed procession down Manhattan, now in its 82nd year, has certainly provided a large share of Oohs, Ahhs and Wows over its history and this year's line-up promises to keep that cherished tradition alive for generations to come."

The numbers tell the story as "the longest show on Broadway" makes its way down the route featuring over 1,700 cheerleaders, dancers, singers and performers; 900 clowns; 13 giant character helium balloons; 35 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonheads and balloonicles; 10 marching bands; 28 floats; and a host of celebrity performers.

Soaring Giants
Taking flight for the first time in the Parade on Thanksgiving morning will be classic characters from children's books, movies and television shows, a Who's Who of popular culture icons. Joining the line-up of giant character helium balloons this year will be the elephant "who meant what he said" the ever-faithful Horton, the super smurftastic Smurf, and the infinity seeking Buzz Lightyear.

Returning Parade favorites, stars of children's television, video games, comic strips and feature films, complete the line-up of 13 giant balloons this year. Filled with helium that makes the giants lighter-than-air, the balloons are set to return to their starring roles in the annual procession. Joining the three new giant characters will be Abby Cadabby, Beethoven, Dora the Explorer™, Flying Ace Snoopy, Kermit the Frog™, Pikachu™, Ronald McDonald®, Shrek®, SpongeBob SquarePants™ and Supercute Hello Kitty®. The giant character balloons are not the only balloon stars of the line-up, the sky on Thanksgiving is filled with flying wonder. In addition to the giant characters balloons, the Parade also boasts 35 novelty/ornament balloons and balloonicles giving the sky backdrop a tiered spectrum. From the sky-high giants, to mid-size and small balloons/balloonheads, Parade balloonatics will have a great time as the floating giants fly by. For balloon novices a little lesson is in order when it comes to thinking big and small. Don't be fooled by the diminutive balloon designation, Macy's doesn't do anything small- the smallest Parade balloons can range in size from 12 to 25 feet tall, making the "small" balloons giants all their own.

In tribute to beloved artist Keith Haring, who would have turned 50 this year, Haring's Figure with Heart is the latest entrant to the Blue Sky Gallery series. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began the Blue Sky Gallery series in 2005 when Parade officials invited artist Tom Otterness to create a balloon version of one of his classic pieces of Humpty Dumpty. Aiming to inject contemporary art into a pop culture phenomenon, the Blue Sky Gallery series continued in 2007 with the debut of "Rabbit" by Jeff Koons. Working in partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation, Macy's Parade Studio reconceived one of Haring's ink on paper drawings, Untitled (Figure with Heart), 1987, as a giant balloon. The balloon is a three-dimensional rendering of Haring's drawing that will appear flat against the backdrop of the sky as it might have appeared on the subway walls once favored by the artist.

Floating Scenery
Magical scenes and worlds of wonder come to life on the moving stages that create a fantasy down Broadway. From an unexpected cross country journey to the lights of Tokyo subculture the newest floats in the Macy's Parade line-up take spectators on voyages through the imagination. This year's inaugural fleet include the cross-country journey of Bolt, Princess fantasies at the Castle of Dreams, the lights of Tokyo subculture on Harajuku Lovers, a representation of the creation story on the True Spirit of Thanksgiving, bright bold optimism of the Shine On float, the smurftastic world of The Smurfs, the wonder of believing on Winter Wonderland, and the joy shared during a Woodland Family Gathering.

The dazzling stages ride down the streets after months-long painstaking work by the skilled artisans of the Macy's Parade Studio. The gifted team design and build each float from the ground up. Wood, foam and other materials are the backbone that give life to this fleet of fantasy. In addition to the eight new stages, 20 floats will make a return appearance on Broadway this Thanksgiving.

The returning float line-up includes 123 Sesame Street, Big Apple, Bridge To The Future, The Care Bears™ Winter Fun-derland, Cele-bear-ate Hugs Worldwide, Expedition to the Top of Rhino Mountain, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, M&M's® Chocolate Candies on Broadway, Marion-Carol Showboat, Musical Innovation Bigger Than Life, New York Tin Toy, Pep Squad, Santaland Express, Santa's Sleigh, Snoopy's Doghouse, Spirit of America, Spirit of Liberty, Starship Discovery, and Tom Turkey.

Give Me a Beat
Ready, set, march! The beat is back on Broadway as 10 of America's best marching bands hit the pavement. The musical heartbeat of the Parade, the marching bands representing their home states and the nation in this year's holiday spectacular are the best of the best. The musical line-up includes James Bowie High School from Austin, Texas; Copiague High School from Copiague, New York; Fayetteville High School from Fayetteville, Arkansas; Georgia Institute of Technology from Atlanta, Georgia; The Greater St. Petersburg Area Awesome Original Second Time Arounders from St. Petersburg, Florida; Macy's Great American Marching Band with representatives from every State and the District of Columbia; James Madison University from Harrisonburg, Virginia; Nogales High School from La Puente, California; Sioux Falls Lincoln High School from Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and West Johnston High School from Benson, North Carolina.

Razzle Dazzle
Adding holiday razzle-dazzle to the pomp and pageantry are thousands of cheerleaders, dancers and special groups that will wow and delight spectators with their unique performances. The spirited performers include the Alvin Ailey School, Camp Broadway, the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums, East Brooklyn Soul Tigers, Fred Hill Briefcase Team, Heartbeat Jump Rope Team, Mike Miller Dance Team, NYPD Marching Band and Mounted Unit, Polynesian Dance Ensemble of Hawaii, the Special Needs Colorguard of America, Spirit of America Cheerleaders, and the USA Baton Twirling All Stars.

It's in the Stars
Celebrating the start of the holiday season will be performers from stage, screen, sports and music riding down Broadway atop one of the Parade's moving stages. The stars joining the line-up include Trace Adkins, David Archuleta, Ashanti, Charice, Kristen Chenoweth, Clique Girlz, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, Grandma and the Big Apple Circus, cast of the Broadway Musical Hair, Harajuku Girls, Kermit the Frog, Lang Lang and the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Miss U.S.A. 2008- Crystle Stewart, Idina Menzel, PushPlay, Darius Rucker, Shontelle, James Taylor, Uno the 2008 Westminster Dog Show Champion, Varsity Fanclub and Andy Williams.

Nationwide Star
From coast to coast, Americans will gather around the television to share in the magic of the Parade via the national broadcast on NBC-TV. One of the nation's most viewed events, the NBC telecast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be hosted by TODAY's Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera and Al Roker. The telecast will air from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon in each of the four time zones in the continental United States. Star power on Thanksgiving morning will include performances from some of the hottest Broadway shows including In the Heights, Disney's The Little Mermaid, South Pacific and Irving Berlin's White Christmas. In addition, the world-famous Radio City Rockettes® will kick it up a notch welcoming the Parade in style.

A Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade's finale features the biggest star of all, the one-and-only Santa Claus. As his sleigh comes into view, Macy's wishes everyone "Happy Holidays" and a "Merry Christmas."

Further information on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade can be obtained by calling the Parade Hotline at (212) 494-4495 or via www.macysparade.com.

Delta, New York's most international carrier is proud to be the official airline of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Timberland is the official outerwear provider.

Remo is the drumhead provider.

Please note all talent, performances, line-up and information included are subject to change.