The Pokémon Company revealed that a balloon of Pikachu and Eevee will appear during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The Pokémon's inclusion in the annual event was announced via a blog post on the franchise's official website. Both Pikachu and Eevee will be in attendance, sitting in a sled inspired by the standard Pokéball design. Both Pokémon will sport festive "cold-weather apparel" to combat the Winter chill; Pikachu wears a delightful green scarf decorated with snowflakes while Eevee shows off a red hat accented with stars.
“Pikachu and Eevee are the perfect ambassadors to represent the fun and joy of Pokémon in this new balloon debuting during the brand’s 25th anniversary year,” said Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “Pikachu remains an icon of the brand, and its annual appearance in the Macy’s Parade has been delighting fans and families for decades. The introduction of Eevee, known for its unique Evolution abilities, is the perfect Pokémon friend to join Pikachu and represent the brand as we look to the future and all of the fun and adventures which are yet to come.”
This isn't the first time Pokémon, the long-running franchise built upon the success of the classic role-playing games, has appeared during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Pikachu initially attended the event in 2001 with a balloon dubbed "Flying Pikachu," which was designed as an homage to the opening sequence seen in Pokémon Yellow. The design made subsequent appearances in 2022, 2003, 2004 and 2005 after which it was formally retired.
“The Pokémon balloon has become a mainstay of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and one which fans and families look forward to year after year,” said Jordan Dabby, producer of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “As Pikachu prepares to brighten the Parade route for the 21st consecutive year, we’d like to welcome Eevee to the Macy’s Parade as we look forward to them both delighting viewers for many years to come.”
The most recent Pokémon balloon serves as another celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary. The year-long campaign was first announced during 2020's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since then, The Pokémon Company has announced new merchandise, music collaborations and animated films. More expansions for The Pokémon Trading Card Game are in development as well as two new games: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and the semi-open-world game Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Source: The Pokémon Company
