6 Musical Moments We Loved From Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was in full swing on Thursday morning (Nov. 25) as it returned after a virtual showing in 2020, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

While the weather outside was not as frightful as it has been in years past (it was a balmy 52 degrees in New York), marching bands, performers, dancers, floats, and of course, Balloons, were comfortably front and center as the annual tradition took place on the streets of New York City. Among the many wonderful performances throughout the 3-hour broadcast, a few stood out.

Below you’ll find our 7 favorite musical moments from the 95th Annual Thanksgiving Day parade.

6. Kelly Rowland

Former Destiny’s Child member, Kelly Rowland got toes tapping with her rendition of “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” as she sang encased atop the Christmas in Town Square float by Lifetime.

5. Rob Thomas

SInging about spending the holidays in small towns, Rob Thomas gave an upbeat performance of “Small Town Christmas,” from his newly released Christmas album, Something About Christmas Time. Perched upon the Heartwarming Holiday Countdown float from Hallmark (known for their Christmas movies), Thomas was surrounded by toy soldiers for that extra Christmas feel.

4. Darren Criss

Getting into the spirit of Christmas early, Darren Criss sang the fun-loving “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’ aboard the Fantasy Chocolate Factory float by Kinder. He even had his own little Hippopotamus balloon floating along. And if that wasn’t enough, Criss played a mean Kazoo solo to boot.

3. Cast of Six

While they didn’t perform on a float, the cast of the Broadway Musical Six took center stage with their performance of “Six” outside of Macy’s department store. The Musical details the lives of the wives of King Henry VIII as a modern girl band and speculates about what could have been if they had not married him.

2. Jordan Fisher

How could you not love a performance that includes Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and friends? Jordan Fisher took to the high seas aboard the Magic Meets the Sea float by Disney Cruise Lines. Joined by his lovable Disney friends, Fisher sang an original Disney Cruise Line song titled “Together We Set Sail.” And together, with much fanfare and confetti, they did!

1. Jon Batiste

Stepping off of his float, the Celebration Gator from Louisiana Office of Tourism, Batiste put on a musical extravaganza. Singing the song “I Need You” from his We Are album, Batiste put his all into the performance, surrounded by a cast of dancers. Adding to the fun, Batiste also grabbed a sax and jammed to the solo. All in good fun.

Photo by TheStewartofNY/Getty Images