There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here, and he is back for the biggest Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade yet. Macy’s gave fans their first in-person look at the reimagined Underdog balloon on Monday, putting the superhero pup on display inside Grand Central Terminal ahead of his return to the parade on Thanksgiving morning.
Underdog, in his famous blue cape, appeared in every parade lineup from 1965 to 1984, making him one of the longest-running characters in the parade’s history, according to ABC7 New York. The new balloon keeps his classic flying pose and, per Macy’s official lineup page, measures 25.8 feet tall, 41.5 feet long and 20.7 feet wide.
Underdog’s return is one of several trips down memory lane planned for the parade’s 100th march. The centennial lineup will carry a record 100 inflatable elements, including a brand-new Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey balloon, the return of Felix the Cat, the first character balloon in parade history, and a Macy’s All-Stars float reuniting Bullwinkle J. Moose, Popeye, Olive Oyl, Swee’Pea and Sonic the Hedgehog, the company announced in August.
The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs Thursday, November 26, at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones on NBC and streaming on Peacock. NBC and Macy’s have not announced this year’s hosts or performer lineup yet, and TDN will update this story as more of the centennial celebration is revealed.