Hello Kitty has been absent from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2017, but if you’ve missed seeing that iconic red bow and cute yellow nose float over the streets of New York City, you’re in luck.
In 2026, Hello Kitty will return to the parade route, floating as an all-new balloon in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The giant character balloon will feature Hello Kitty holding a vibrant red apple, a nod to NYC’s nickname, “The Big Apple.”
According to an image released by Sanrio, this year’s Hello Kitty balloon measures 24.8 feet wide, 33.5 feet long, and 33.6 feet high—or, as the brand puts it, 107 apples tall…