Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade to Feature Pikachu Performance and Pokémon Announcement

Tomorrow, the adorable Pikachu balloon will be making its twentieth appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. This balloon, which is the third version of Pikachu to appear in the parade, features the iconic Pokémon wearing a scarf and carrying a miniature snowman Pikachu in its paws. It debuted in 2014, replacing the previous “Pikachu with Pokeball” design which appeared in eight parades.

A press release by The Pokémon Company on Monday indicated that the balloon will not be the only Pokémon-related event in this year’s parade. According to the company, Pikachu’s balloon will be accompanied by “a troupe of dancing Pikachu [that] will deliver an electrifying performance”.

This is not the first time that the Pikachu balloon will have themed accompaniment as it flies through Manhattan. The very first version of Pikachu was typically preceded by a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle referred to as “The Pikamobile,” while the second version was sometimes followed by statues of Reshiram and Zekrom from Pokémon Black and White.

Monday’s press release also teased that the special Pikachu performance might also feature a Pokémon-related announcement, saying, “Pokémon fans will want to tune in to find out why [the dancing Pikachu] are making a special appearance this year.” Current fan theories regarding the contents of this announcement include a Macy’s Pikachu costume for Pokémon Go, or a sequel to the feature film Detective Pikachu, which also featured a giant Pikachu-shaped balloon appearing in a parade. Nothing has been officially confirmed at this time.

This year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be taking special precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The parade will walk a shorter route, and no spectators will be present, making it a TV-only event.

The parade, including the special Pikachu performance, can be watched via NBC and Telemundo from 9AM to 12PM EST on Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 26, 2020.

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