You probably remember the turkey. Maybe the stuffing. But if you were standing on the curb in Manhattan on November 22, 2018, you definitely remember the bone-chilling, teeth-chattering cold. It was brutal. Honestly, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018 felt more like an expedition to the Arctic than a celebration in Midtown.
Thermometers hit a measly 19 degrees Fahrenheit at the start of the trek. That is officially the coldest Thanksgiving start in New York City history since 1901. People weren't just wearing coats; they were wrapped in sleeping bags, space blankets, and enough layers to make the Michelin Man look slim.
Despite the freeze, the show went on. It had to.
The High-Stakes Wind Game
There’s always this weird tension before the parade starts. Will the balloons fly? It's the question everyone asks every single year. For the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018, the stakes were higher because the wind gusts were flirting with the city's safety limits. New York City regulations are pretty strict: if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or gusts top 34 mph, those massive characters have to stay grounded.
They flew them low.
Basically, the handlers were struggling. If you watch the old footage, you can see the Goku balloon—making its big debut that year—hovering dangerously close to the street lights. It wasn’t the graceful, soaring flight you see in the promos. It was a dogfight against the elements. The handlers, those brave souls in the jumpsuits, were basically doing a heavy-duty workout for two and a half miles.
New Faces in the Sky
Even with the frostbite warnings, the 92nd annual event brought some heavy hitters to the lineup. Goku from Dragon Ball Super: Broly was the big draw for the younger crowd (and the nostalgic millennials). Seeing a giant Super Saiyan Blue floating past Radio City Music Hall is one of those "only in New York" moments.
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We also saw the debut of the Fleck family from Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles.
And let’s not forget the "Little Cloud" by FriendsWithYou. It was simple, white, and kind of ironic considering the sky was a clear, biting blue.
The Stars Who Risked It All
Performance-wise, 2018 was stacked. But imagine trying to sing—or lip-sync, let’s be real—when your jaw is literally frozen shut. John Legend was there on the "Build-A-Bear" float. Pentatonix did their thing, sounding crisp despite the fact that their breath was probably crystallizing in mid-air.
Diana Ross was the true queen of the morning. She was on the "Heartwarming Holiday Countdown" float by Hallmark Channel. She had her whole family with her. Seeing a legendary diva like Ross singing "Wonderful Christmastime" while bundled in a massive white coat was sort of the peak of the whole broadcast.
The lineup also included:
- Kelly Clarkson (who is a powerhouse in any weather)
- Kane Brown
- The cast of Sesame Street (the puppets probably handled the cold better than the humans)
- Bad Bunny (before he was the undisputed global titan he is now)
- Barenaked Ladies
The Broadway performances at the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018 are always a highlight. We got treats from Mean Girls, My Fair Lady, The Prom, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. It’s a bit surreal to watch actors in summer dresses or thin suits dancing on cold pavement while the anchors are wearing heavy parkas. The professionalism is honestly terrifying.
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What Most People Missed
The logistics of this thing are insane. You’ve got about 8,000 volunteers. Many of them were up at 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM. In 2018, that meant standing in an unheated staging area for hours before the 9:00 AM kickoff.
There was a bit of a minor controversy, or at least a talking point, regarding Rita Ora. There was a noticeable lip-sync glitch during her performance of "Let You Love Me." The sound was off, her mouth wasn't matching, and the internet did what the internet does—it overreacted. Macy’s actually stepped in later to defend her, tweeting that technical issues were to blame and not the artist. It was a rare moment of a corporate entity taking the heat for a performer.
The Numbers Behind the Cold
To get a sense of the scale, here is how the 2018 event actually broke down.
There were 16 giant character balloons. There were 43 "novelty" balloons (the smaller ones). We saw 26 floats. There were 1,200 cheerleaders and dancers. They had 12 marching bands. And of course, one Santa Claus.
The NYPD presence was also massive. After various security concerns in the years prior, the 2018 route was lined with "blocker trucks"—those heavy sanitation Department sand trucks used to prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering the path. It’s a sobering reminder that while we’re looking at a giant Spongebob, there’s a massive security apparatus keeping the peace.
Why 2018 Still Matters
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018 serves as a benchmark. Whenever it’s cold now, we compare it to 2018. It proved that the parade is essentially bulletproof. Wind is the only thing that can truly stop it. Cold? No way.
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It was also a turning point for the types of balloons we see. The inclusion of Goku signaled a shift toward more global, anime-centric pop culture, moving away from just the classic Disney or Peanuts characters.
If you're planning on attending a future parade because you saw the 2018 highlights and thought it looked fun, you need to be prepared.
First, forget the grandstands unless you have a "friend of a friend" connection. Most people are on the sidewalk.
Second, if the forecast even hints at 2018 levels of cold, you need toe warmers. Not just hand warmers. Toe warmers. You'll be standing on concrete for five hours. Concrete sucks the heat right out of your boots.
Third, the best viewing isn't actually at the start or the end. The area around 6th Avenue between 59th and 38th streets offers some of the best sightlines without the suffocating crowds of Herald Square.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018 was a feat of endurance. It was a reminder that New York traditions don't break for a polar vortex. It was loud, it was freezing, and it was exactly what it needed to be.
Actionable Steps for Future Parade Goers
If you are looking to recreate the magic (hopefully with better weather), keep these tips in mind:
- Arrive by 6:00 AM. If you get there at 8:00 AM, you are seeing the back of someone’s head.
- Stay on the West side of the street. In the morning, the sun hits the West side of 6th Avenue first. In 2018, that bit of sunlight was the difference between shivering and total misery.
- Check the Wind Forecast. Use an app like Windy. If the "Gusts" metric is over 30 mph, be prepared for the possibility that the giant balloons will be grounded or flown very, very low to the ground.
- Hydrate, but sparingly. Finding a bathroom along the route is a nightmare. Most shops close their restrooms to the public.
- Watch the Inflation. If you want the experience without the 19-degree crowds, go to the American Museum of Natural History the day before (Wednesday) to see the balloons being blown up. It’s arguably cooler than the parade itself.