Mr. Peanut Returns To The Macy’s 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade: Get a Sneak Peek at the PLANTERS’ Float

By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon

Can’t remember the last time you saw Mr. Peanut at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Let’s jog your memory bank. The legendary legume was last seen riding on top of the PLANTERS’ NUTmobile during the 90th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016. With the whole world watching, Mr. Peanut spontaneously did the “dab” dance move. The GIF captured made the press cycle instantly and even earned Mr. Peanut a “GIF Of The Year” award from The Shorty Awards. (Mr. Peanut would later tweet his thanks for the win and encourage viewers to “dream big; dab bigger.”)

A lot has changed in the last 10 years, especially for Mr. Peanut who famously died and was reborn in a PLANTERS Super Bowl LIV commercial. The dabbing craze faded into relative obscurity and Twitter became X. What hasn’t changed is tuning in on Thanksgiving to watch the Macy’s Parade.

Turning 100 this year, Macy’s 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade promises a lineup of incredible balloons, floats and performers. PLANTERS and Mr. Peanut are back for the first time in 10 years with a new float called “Mr. Peanut’s Power Plant” which pays tribute to peanuts and two more major milestones: Mr. Peanut turning 110 years young and the PLANTERS brand celebrating 120 years of history.

Naturally, we had questions about this Parade float (who wouldn’t want to know more about a float where there’s peanut-shaped confetti?!) and spoke to Ashley Krautkramer-Gonya, senior brand manager for the PLANTERS brand who gave us a sneak peek at this year’s float.

Q: What made the PLANTERS brand decide 2026 is the right time to make a return appearance in the Parade? How does the brand feel about being part of such a historic celebration?

It really is a triple threat this year: the PLANTERS brand is turning 120, Mr. Peanut is turning 110, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is celebrating its 100th march, so the timing was too good to pass up and it felt like the perfect moment to bring him back! Mr. Peanut is such an icon of American culture, and we’re thrilled to be part of this historic celebration and to share it with our fans.

Mr. Peanut was last in the parade 10 years ago in 2016, when his ‘dab dance’ went viral, Fans are going to love seeing what he’s up to this year on the Mr. Peanut Power Plant float.

Q: How did the brand determine they’d go with a float instead of a balloon?

With this many milestones, we wanted to go big. A float gave us the room to tell Mr. Peanut’s whole story and show how his legacy and the peanut plant contribute to the power of peanuts today.

Q: Where did the idea for the “power plant” come from? What did the brand take in consideration when designing the 2026 float and how it pays tribute to Mr. Peanut and the PLANTERS brand legacy?

We wanted to educate around the power of peanuts – to connect to the plant they come from, the farmers who grow peanuts, and the power of the snack itself. There is a lot of depth to peanuts that’s worth sharing.

Q: Will Mr. Peanut be on the float? Any performers or musical performances?

Absolutely! He’ll be front and center and impossible to miss. And just wait until you see the peanut-shaped confetti bursting from his famous top hat. There will also be costumed walkers around the float, but we don’t want to spoil everything, so fans will have to tune in Thanksgiving morning to see the rest.”

Macy’s will be announcing the musical performer soon!”

Q: Any other Easter eggs on this float fans keep an eye on?

Keep your eyes on the Ferris wheel. It shows Mr. Peanut’s look through the years, and longtime fans will probably spot a few favorites from years past.

We won’t give everything away, though. We always like to leave a few surprises for parade morning!

Q: What are some surprising facts people probably don’t know about the PLANTERS brand – or Mr. Peanut?

Here’s a fun one: Mr. Peanut started as a drawing by a 14-year-old boy back in 1916 and that authentic connection with PLANTERS fans is what’s made him such an enduring icon of the brand.

And he’s still on the move: peanut lovers around the country can spot Mr. Peanut cruising around in his NUTmobile, the world’s largest peanut on wheels, with the help of his trusty Peanutters!

Q: As we reflect on the mascot’s 110th birthday, where do you think Mr. Peanut will go from here?

Mr. Peanut has stayed an icon by evolving over the last 110 years, and he’s not done yet. He holds such a special place in all of our hearts. We’re keeping that spirit alive and can’t wait to keep surprising fans!

Catch “Mr. Peanut’s Power Plant” float live during the Macy’s 100^th Thanksgiving Day Parade, airing Thursday November 26, 2026, at 8:30 AM EST on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

Image Credits: Mr. Peanut (PLANTERS Brand) and float rendering (Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

About the Author

Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.