Los Angeles, CA – The 84th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, the largest Christmas celebration in America, announces their 2015 entertainment lineup. The musical performances will be featured on two separate stages during the parade and national telecast, and will include the following artists: Clay Aiken; India.Arie; Band of Merrymakers featuring Mark McGrath, Natasha Bedingfield, Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees, Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra and Sam Hollander; Daughtry; Diana Degarmo; Kat Graham; Candice Glover; Taylor Hicks; Alexander Jean featuring B.C. Jean and Mark Ballas; Sean Kingston; Heather Russell; Ruben Studdard; and Ace Young. Performances will feature the Marine Toys for Tots program, which is essential in providing gifts to less fortunate children everywhere.
In addition to the musical performances, a “Magic of Christmas!” segment from the magicians appearing on the hit TV series Masters of Illusion will also take place. A special salute to American soaps will also be featured with appearances by General Hospital’s Rick Hearst, Emme Rylan and Bradford Anderson; The Young & Restless’ Tristan Rogers, Kate Linder, Bryton James and Christel Khalil; The Bold & The Beautiful’s Scott Clifton and Jacqueline Macinnes Wood; and Days Of Our Lives’ Martha Madison, Deidre Hall and Galen Gering.
Penn & Teller, stars of the hit CW series Penn & Teller: Fool Us, will be the Grand Marshals for this year’s parade. Presented and produced by Associated Television International, the live event, taped for network television, will take place on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday, November 29 at 5:00 p.m. This year the parade will honor Oscar de la Hoya with the “Humanitarian Award” for his outstanding charity work over the years. Deidre Hall will make a special presentation to Marine Toys For Tots. The parade and television broadcast will be co-hosted by popular television personalities Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams, with special co-hosts Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton.
The 84th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade will premiere as a two-hour special on The CW Network on Friday, December 11 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific/7:00 p.m. Central. Long-time parade partner Hallmark Channel will air multiple runs beginning Saturday, December 19 on their Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. The parade will also air to more than one million American servicemen and women worldwide on American Forces Network. Media partners for this year’s parade include Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Variety, KTLA, Radio Disney, Hallmark Channel and KOST 103.5 FM.
Grand Marshals Penn & Teller, world acclaimed magicians and entertainers, have been performing as a duo together for the last four decades, combining magic with comedy. Headlining in Las Vegas at The Penn & Teller Theatre at The Rio Hotel, the two are currently starring in the Penn & Teller: Fool Us series produced by 1/17 Productions and airing on The CW Network, and have also been featured in numerous stage and television shows.
A true Hollywood tradition, this year’s parade includes over 4,000 participants and attracts more than one million in attendance each year, with larger than life inflatable character balloons and celebrity filled cars making the much heralded trek down the over three mile parade route.
Grandstand Tickets for the 2015 Hollywood Christmas Parade, which is presented by Associated Television International and The City of Los Angeles, are now on sale. Purchase your seats now by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or buying online at www.ticketmaster.com/hcp. For the latest updates about the parade, please call the 24/7 Parade Hotline toll free at 1-866-PARADE1 (866-727-2331) or visit the parade’s official website at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org. For highlights of past parades, please visit, https://vimeo.com/85566731. Stay in touch with us via Facebook and Twitter. @HlywdChristmas #HollywoodChristmasParade #TheHCP2015
The 84th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade will play host to a variety of bands, equestrians, balloons, floats, characters/novelties and sponsors. Below is a list of current participants:
17 Award Winning Bands From Around The Country and The World:
– Marine Band San Diego, U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard
– Blazen Divaz (Coeur D’Alene, ID)
– Bloomington High School Band (North, IN)
– Cedarburg High School Marching Band (Cedarburg, WI)
– Cougar Band from Bloomington High School North (Bloomington, IN)
– Gadsden Elementary School District #32 Marching Band (San Luis, AZ)
– Golden Sail International from Youth Culture and Arts Association (West Covina, CA and China)
– Gruppo Sbandieratori e Musici Faenza (Italian Flag-Throwers and Drums, Faenza, Italy)
– Kaiser Catamount Pride Band and Color Guard from Kaiser High School (Fontana, CA)
– Korean American Youth Performing Artists (KAYPA) (Chino, CA)
– Los Angeles Catholic Schools Band (Torrance, CA)
– Long Beach Junior Concert Band (Long Beach, CA)
– Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums (Fullerton, CA)
– Mountain Fifes and Drums (Youth Music Program, Lake Arrowhead, CA)
– Pacific American Volunteer Association World Traditional Korean Marching Band (PAVA World, Los Angeles, CA)
– Porterville High School Panther Band (Porterville, CA)
– Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment from Rancho Verde High School (Moreno Valley, CA)
2015 Parade Sponsors will include:
– Mexico Tourism Board/VisitMexico.com (which will have a kiosk on at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on parade day, November 29th)
– Health Net with Covered California (which will be present with their Health Net On The Move RV at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on parade day, November 29th)
– Bucca di Beppo
– Planet Hollywood
– Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes (with a car transporting actor Jack Scalia, spokesperson Matthew Pennington and his wife Marjorie Pennington and Cassidy Diana who will sing Salute)
– Chuck E. Cheese and Friends
– Friskies with their spokescat the pop culture sensation Grumpy Cat
– Wells Fargo Stagecoach
– Gumby (who will appear in the parade with Joe Clokey, the son of the late Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby)
– Nebuta Float with Taiko Drums (an ornate float)
– Kung Fu Panda 3 (DreamWorks Animation’s and 20th Century Fox’s feature film which will have a car in the parade transporting the character of Po and actor James Hong who plays Mr. Ping)
– Knott’s Berry Farm Stagecoach with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy and Friends
– Equestrian Groups – Majestic Acres, Charros de la Puente, Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers, and the Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society
– Also appearing are the California Highway Patrol, Goodyear Blimp, Budweiser Clydesdales and Hitch, Club Car, Archibald Mouse, Hollywood Hotel, Balsam Hill (supplying the beautiful concert stage trees), Harleys, horses and an Ampicar with Assistant Chief Marc Shaw and ICU light back pack by Radiant Enterprises (with an on camera donation to Marine Toys for Tots).
18 Giant Balloons:
– Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (wrangled by the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes)
– Hanna-Barbera’s Tom & Jerry (wrangled by the Mexico Tourism Board)
– Toy Soldier (wrangled by Air Force Personnel)
– Pirate & Chest (wrangled by Author Services and Galaxy Press)
– Elf & Four Lollipops (wrangled by Hollywood Hotel)
– Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat (wrangled by Hollywood Central Park)
– Gumby (wrangled by Make-A-Wish Foundation)
– Three Christmas Ornaments (wrangled by Kiwanis)
– Strawberry Shortcake (wrangled by the Hollywood Arts Council)
– Hanna-Barbera’s Scooby Doo (wrangled by The Brittney Foundation)
The Nebuta Float is making its debut in the parade this year, and is inspired by the popular Nebuta Festival of Aomori Prefecture, one of the largest and most famous festivals in all of Japan that dates back hundreds of years. The Nebuta Float was designed by Japanese Masters Artist, Hiroo Takenami, specifically to be showcased here in Los Angeles. Its colorful design is carefully hand-painted and constructed of traditional washi paper and outfitted with over 3,000 LED lights. This year’s float depicts the “Legends of Yoshitsune,” the story of the celebrated General of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, who by divine power safely travels across the ocean for battle.
The parade will also include the U.S. Air Force Color Guard, Mini Jets and a P51 Mustang Plane, a Falan Dafa float (the traditional Chinese self-cultivation practice – Azusa, CA), a Miss Hispanidad float with Miss California and Miss Teen California riding on it, The Way To Happiness Float (Author Services, Inc.) and over 30 movie picture cars supplied by Nate Truman’s Star Car Central, which will be pursuing a Guinness Book of World Records for the most movie vehicles in one place. Santa Claus will make a special appearance, accompanied by Marine Staff Sergeant Cathleen Barsallo and Sergeant Jazz Alston on his float, ushering in the official beginning of the holiday season.