Classic Rock Band’s Bizarre Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Performance Turns Heads

Fans of both Foreigner and Stranger Things were in for a surprise during Thursday’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Following the Nov. 26 release of the first part of the fifth and final season of the Netflix hit, the classic rock band transported the streets of New York City to the Upside Down with a performance of “Cold as Ice” atop the Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things float.

While Stranger Things does employ the use of iconic ’80s-era music to set the scene, some social media users thought the combination of Foreigner’s performance with the sci-fi drama’s imagery was a bit bizarre for the holidays.

“Got to wonder, when Foreigner wrote “Cold as Ice,” did they imagine one day they’d be performing an abridged 1-minute version on a Thanksgiving parade float in front of a caged animatronic demon,” one social media user quipped on X (formerly Twitter).

Another joked, “Foreigner and Stranger Things at The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. So many thoughts. I would’ve put a Santa hat on the demogorgon.”

“Foreigner playing “Cold As Ice” on a Stranger Things float at the Macy’s Parade, with an animatronic Demogorgon and dancers in Hazmat suits,” a different user observed, adding that “life has turned into a Simpsons episode.”

Others were thrilled to see the two brought together.

“Foreigner performing on the Stranger Things float is way too iconic for me I can’t,” one person gushed, as another wrote, “Foreigner on the Stranger Things float? Macy’s Parade KNOWS BALL.”

@pixiesherry

#Foreigner performed Cold As Ice on the #StrangerThings float for the 2025 #macysthanksgivingdayparade

♬ original sound – Pix

Foreigner’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance lines up not only with the Season 5 premiere of Stranger Things, but just days before they kick off their eight-show Foreigner 4 Deluxe Tour on Dec. 3, bringing back original vocalist Lou Gramm following vocalist Kelly Hansen’s retirement after two decades with the band.

“Earlier this year, we toured Mexico and South America with the incredible Lou Gramm. We all had such a fantastic time performing and being together, and it’s with that same excitement I look forward to working with Lou again,” said Luis Maldonado in a statement. “He was an integral part of the writing and recording of the Foreigner 4 album and his presence will add a historic dimension to our forthcoming tour.”

This summer, Foreigner and Lynyrd Skynyrd will team up for 19 co-headline appearances across North America dubbed the Double Vision Tour, kicking off July 23 in Atlanta and wrapping up on Aug. 29 in Rogers, Ark.

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is streaming now on Netflix, to be followed by Volume 2 on Dec. 25 and the series finale on Dec. 31.