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| Dora the Explorer Balloon in the 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® |
SpongeBob SquarePants and his beloved pet snail, Gary, will once again soar above the New York City skyline Thanksgiving morning. This optimistic sea sponge is all smiles as he returns for his 22nd appearance ready for some F.U.N. with his pet snail Gary.
Joining SpongeBob and Gary the Snail will be Marshall, the heroic firefighter dalmatian pup from PAW Patrol, produced by Spin Master Entertainment. This lovable pup is sure to save the day and delight live spectators and viewers across the country.
Dora, the first Latina character to ever appear in the Parade, and her friends, including Boots, Map and Backpack, will also return, bringing the wonders and fun of the rainforest to the streets of New York with DORA’s Fantastical Rainforest, a vibrant, eye-catching float and balloon hybrid element.
Also returning to the Parade after making their debut last last year will be Gabby & Pandy Paws from DreamWorks Animation's hit series, Gabby's Dollhouse.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a big Nickelodeon franchise missing from the 2026 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At the time of posting, their vibrant multilevel float inspired by the hit animated series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles., is currently not listed to be making an appearance in this year's Parade. This may change closer to the day of the Parade.
Speaking of missing franchises in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, isn't it time that Ghostbusters had a presence in the Parade? A Slimer or Mr. Stay Puft balloon or a Gozer's Temple float would be perfect!
The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air Thursday, Nov. 26 at 8:30 a.m. ET (in all time zones) in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock. Check local listings for details. For more information, visit macys.com/parade. To follow and participate in the excitement, check out @macys on various social platforms and follow #MacysParade.
Find out more about Nickelodeon's balloons and floats in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade below!
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SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary (Balloon)
Nickelodeon/Paramount+
This optimistic sea sponge is all smiles as he returns for his 22nd appearance ready for some F.U.N. with his pet snail Gary.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 44 feet tall or as high as a 4-story building
- 46 feet long or as long as 6 bicycles
- 36 feet wide or as wide as 6 taxicabs
FUN FACT
This is SpongeBob’s third balloon in the Parade; he made his first appearance in 2004 and was redesigned for his second balloon in 2013. SpongeBob was also the first square balloon in the Parade.
Marshall from PAW Patrol (Balloon)
NICKELODEON
Marshall the all action Dalmatian in the PAW Patrol is excited to rejoin the line of march this November. As Adventure Bay’s resident fire pup, he bravely extinguishes flames and uses his ladder to rescue those in need. Full of heart, Marshall is “fired up” and prepared for his third Parade appearance.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 44.5 feet or as high as a 4-story building
- 29 feet or as long as 4 bicycles
- 53 feet or as wide as 9 taxicabs
FUN FACT
Marshall is twice the size of a standard New York City Fire Department firetruck.
Dora (Balloon)
Nickelodeon
Exciting discoveries await Dora and her best friend Boots as she returns to the Macy’s Parade. Accompanied by her reliable map and backpack, Dora is prepared to navigate the tropical terrain and New York City streets while keeping her eyes and ears peeled for Swiper the mischievous fox.
FUN FACT
The float portion of this hybrid unit, which also includes a balloon, resembles the shape of a flower when viewed from above.
Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest
Nickelodeon
Exciting discoveries await Dora and her best friend Boots as she returns to the Macy’s Parade. Accompanied by her reliable map and backpack, Dora is prepared to navigate the tropical terrain and New York City streets while keeping her eyes and ears peeled for Swiper the mischievous fox.
FUN FACT
The float portion of this hybrid unit, which also includes a balloon, resembles the shape of a flower when viewed from above.
Gabby & Pandy Paws
Gabby’s Dollhouse/Universal Pictures’ Dreamworks Animation
Gabby, the star of the hugely popular Gabby’s Dollhouse series from DreamWorks Animation, returns to the Macy’s Parade. With the help of her magic cat ears and her best friend Pandy Paws, Gabby shrinks down inside her dollhouse to go on cat-tastic adventures filled with surprises, paw-some music, crafts and more. Her adventures are just getting started, with an a-meow-zing feature film available on Digital and Blu-ray.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 55.5 feet tall or as high as a 5-story building
- 36 feet long or as long as 5 bicycles
- 66.5 feet wide or as wide as 10 taxicabs
FUN FACT
The Gabby & Pandy balloon are painted with more than 25 colors.
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Originally published: November 5, 2026.
La Selva Fantástica de DORA
