Shrek’s balloon flew at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with a fresh new look that had fans ogre-thinking everything.
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Shrek debuted as a giant helium balloon in the 2007 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Dressed in his signature outfit, the balloon measured 44 feet tall, 48.1 feet long, and 39 feet wide.
The giant balloon was added to the holiday parade to promote the home media release of Shrek the Third, which hit theaters earlier that spring. It appeared for a few more years before being retired after 2010.
The Shrek franchise made a grand comeback to the Macy’s Parade in 2025 with a brand-new giant helium balloon—its first appearance in 15 years. This time, though, Shrek was serving up a whole new vibe.
Originally a solo character balloon, Shrek now appears with Donkey, Fiona, Gingy, Pinocchio, and the triplets Fergus, Farkle, and Felicia, all riding in an onion carriage.
Shrek's Onion Carriage flying through the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! pic.twitter.com/a0wJFbTQss
— 🍂ShrekHistory🍂 (@ShrekHistory) November 27, 2025
The new balloon was first revealed in a video posted to the official Shrek social media accounts in October. It was created to promote the upcoming release of Shrek 5 in 2027.
Shrek Fans React to New Macy’s Parade Float
Meanwhile, reactions from Shrek fans were mixed.
Many in the comments section to the announcement were stoked by the new design, with others simply happy for the green ogre’s return to the Macy’s parade.
“THEY’RE USING THE SHREK 5 DESIGNS!!” one fan exclaimed. “For the first time in over 10 years, I will be tuning into cable television for this,” another stoked fan declared.
“This is my Super Bowl,” a third Shrek lover added.
“OMG no way!!!! I remember seeing Shrek at the parade when I was a kid. The onion looks cool. Hey, I can see Gingy up there!” yet another fan gushed.
However, other fans were left wishing for the old design back.
“I HATE IT. It’s the Shrek 5 design; bring back the old design,” one upset fan wrote.
Meanwhile, the Onion balloon introduced some new treats for Shrek fans. The new Shrek balloon featured the first public look at the teenage designs of Fergus and Farkle, while Felicia’s design had already debuted in the film’s teaser trailer released back in February.