Earl the Squirrel, a holiday fixture at Universal Orlando Resort who carries a fondness for blue Christmas lights, will make his giant entrance as a 30-foot-tall balloon in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, click2houston.com reported.
The Holiday Route and Broadcast Details
- The 30-foot-tall balloon features Earl wearing his signature winter cap and holding a blue Christmas light.
- Houston viewers can watch the parade on NBC, Peacock, or Telemundo starting at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.
- Following the New York procession, the balloon travels to Florida to join Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s in early December.
From Tree Nesting Resident to Theme Park Icon
Earl’s origin story dates back nearly twenty years. Universal’s entertainment team discovered a live squirrel nesting inside the resort’s massive Christmas tree, noting that the animal had a peculiar habit of gathering strands of blue holiday lights and taking them back to its nest.
Earl the Squirrel is headed to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! https://t.co/2W2RWuUqeI pic.twitter.com/WZAyFt2Yit
The resort embraced the real-life occurrence and turned it into an enduring holiday tradition. Over the years, Earl expanded from a hidden tree appearance into dedicated merchandise lines and official character meet-and-greets across the Orlando property.
Universal Orlando Holiday Schedule Integration
The balloon’s debut anchors this year’s seasonal calendar at the resort. Universal Orlando’s broader holiday celebration is scheduled to run from Nov. 14 through Jan. 3, 2027.
Once the Thanksgiving morning broadcast concludes on NBC, the physical balloon heads south. It will take its place in Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, which kicks off its local run in Florida in early December.
