‘Frozen’ Star Olaf The Snowman Joins Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
If you’re one of the millions of people who looks forward to the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a new addition this year will surely have you extra-excited! Olaf, the lovable snowman from the animated film “Frozen,” will make his debut as a giant character balloon in the 91st Annual Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 23 in New York City.
Josh Gad, who voices the iconic character, says he can’t wait for Olaf’s big moment. “Having an Olaf balloon alongside Mickey, Elmo and Big Bird is a dream come true and something that, because (the parade’s) so storied and has such a long tradition, I now get to share with my own kids,” Gad told USA Today.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off at 9 a.m. EST on NBC, so be sure to mark your calendar or set the DVR!
Olaf’s appearance in the parade coincides with the debut of “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” a new short playing with the Pixar film “Coco,” which will be in theaters beginning Nov. 22.
To create the new Olaf balloon, Chris Buck, the director of the original “Frozen” movie, drew a sketch for the Macy’s Parade Studio Design Team to use as inspiration, which was shared exclusively with USA Today.
Exclusive: #Frozen snowman Olaf tapped to debut as a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade next month https://t.co/fqdP5jZ6sp pic.twitter.com/RXEDzOwZwS
— Brian Truitt (@briantruitt) October 24, 2017
Gad says he’s humbled by the meaning his character has taken on for children. “Whether it’s his purity, innocence or naïvete, there’s something they all can relate to or have some sort of entertaining response to,” he told USA Today. “I absolutely treasure that.”
If you just can’t get enough of the snowman and his friends, a sequel to “Frozen” is due to premiere on Nov. 27, 2019. Gad has already begun recording his part, and will be joined by fellow original voice actors Idina Menzel and Kristin Bell. We can’t wait!