To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Super Mario brand, Nintendo has announced that a brand-new Mario balloon will take to the skies of Manhattan in the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Set to commence on November 27, 2025, the parade is an annual tradition that has been running for almost a century now. Nintendo has had floats in years past (famously, Pikachu has taken to the skies), but this new one will be the first time Mario has joined the festivities.
On Nov 27, Mario will take to the skies of New York City at the #MacysParade, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. Here’s a first look at the 3D model of the new Mario balloon! @Macys pic.twitter.com/bginx8jcFl
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 24, 2025
Devon Pritchard, EVP of revenue, marketing, and consumer experience at Nintendo, told press, “Having Mario join this iconic holiday tradition is an incredible way to honor the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Since he first emerged from a Warp Pipe, Mario has embodied our goal of bringing smiles to faces all over the world. We are excited for Mario fans of all ages to see his new balloon’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut.”
Producer of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Jordan Dabby, added, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has long been a stage for the world’s most beloved characters, and this year we’re thrilled to partner with Nintendo to welcome a new Mario balloon to that tradition. As Mario celebrates 40 years of inspiring players and families worldwide, his flight down the streets of Manhattan is both a historic milestone and a joyful celebration — one sure to have fans everywhere cheering ‘Wahoo!’ this Thanksgiving morning.”
As Nintendo’s official website points out, patrons of the parade can make a stop over at Nintendo New York while they are in the city. Located near Rockefeller Plaza, it’s something of a mecca for Nintendo fans as it contains not only the most focused retail outlet for getting Switch and Switch 2 games, but a ton of different (and exclusive) merchandise for Nintendo series. Starting in November, the store will also be decked out in holiday cheer, so it will be a unique experience from every other day of the year.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
