Snoopy is getting a makeover for the 2023 edition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The annual parade is a must-see event on Thanksgiving morning, helping to kick off a day filled with NFL football and dining with your loved ones. Peanuts Worldwide is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of the Beagle Scout in Charles Schulz's iconic comic strip – which also included Woodstock and his bird friends – during this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The new balloon will be a 50-foot-tall Beagle Scout Snoopy. Fans got their first look at Snoopy in his Beagle Scout uniform at San Diego Comic-Con.
"As he always does, Snoopy generated a giant outpouring of enthusiasm among the Comic-Con audience," said Melissa Menta, senior vice president, marketing and communications for Peanuts Worldwide. "The response to the Beagle Scout balloon was overwhelmingly positive, and everyone is excited to see him flying above Manhattan on Thanksgiving!"
What will Snoopy wear at the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Snoopy's look for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was designed by artists of Macy's Studios in collaboration with the Peanuts team. Beagle Scout Snoopy features a red neckerchief, green backpack, and green Scout hat. The hat is where fans can find Lieutenant Woodstock lounging comfortably on the brim. The parade is expected to draw 3.5 million spectators and more than 50 million viewers.
The 1968 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is where Snoopy made his big debut, and he's gone on to become a fan-favorite ever since. Previous parades have seen him dressed as an astronaut (1969-1977), an ice skater (1986-1987), a millennium partygoer (1999-2001). However, his most frequently sighted persona has to be the Flying Ace (1968, 1978-1985, 2006-2011) who hunted the devious Red Baron.
"Snoopy became a beloved fixture in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade's famed balloon lineup 55 years ago and has been our longest-running character balloon ever since," said Will Coss, Executive Producer, macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Millions of spectators have always loved seeing Snoopy appear in his many different personas, and we know they'll be thrilled to see him as Beagle Scout Snoopy for the first time."
The 97th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC and streams on Peacock on Thursday, November 23rd from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in all time zones. The images of Beagle Scout Snoopy can be found below.
