HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The 86th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade Featuring Marine Toys for Tots, produced by Associated Television International and presented in associations with The City of Los Angeles, will be televised as a Two-Hour Primetime Special airing on The CW Network on Friday, December 15, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (7:00 p.m. CT) and will be seen on Hallmark after The CW broadcast. The parade will also air to more than one million American servicemen and women worldwide on the American Forces Network during the holiday season.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Emmy Award-winning television guru, serves at the parade’s Grand Marshal. The parade is hosted by Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain and Montel Williams, and co-hosted by Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton.
This year’s parade includes performing artists: Donny and Marie Osmond, The Tenors, Human Nature, The Village People, Tom Dixon, “American Idol” Season 14 Winner Nick Fradiani, Nickelodeon’s Breann Yde, Magician Tommy Wind from The CW’s “Masters of Illusion,” The Tearaways, Recording Artists Julia Ara, Magician Titou from The CW’s “Masters of Illusion,” Cee Lo Green, “American Idol” 2003 Winner Reuben Studdard, Band of Merrymakers, Ludacris (performing a Tribute to Marine Toys For Tots), Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Recording Artist Charlie McNeal, Rollettes (12 Wheelchair Dancers featuring singer Che’nelle), Australian Institute For Performing Arts and Street Magician Performers Chris Randall and Naathan Phan from The CW’s “Masters of Illusion.”
100 celebrities from film, television and stage and other VIPS will be seen in the parade, including: Santa Claus with his Marine Escorts Lance Corporal Christian Diaz and Sergeant Saskei Bell; Lt. General Pete Osman, President and CEO of Marine Toys for Tots; U.S, Marine Corps Color Guard; cast members of “The Young and the Restless (celebrating their 45th Anniversary),” “The Bay,” “Mike and Molly,” “The Riveras,” “Days of Our Lives,” “This Just In;” and the film, “Coco,” as well as The Village People (celebrating their 40th Anniversary and the return of original singer Victor Willis), Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow (celebrating their 60th Anniversary on “Leave It To Beaver”); Nancy Cartwright, the Voice of Bart Simpson from “The Simpsons;” Asia Monet; Gumby; California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and more!
Eighteen award-winning bands from around the country will be featured in this year’s parade. They include: Marine Band San Diego with U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard; Encore High School Hippogriffs (Riverside, CA); United States Air Force Color Guard; Ola High School Marching Mustangs Band (McDonough, GA); Los Angeles Department Honor Guard, Los Angeles Police, Emerald Society Pipes and Drums; Foothill High School Marching Band (Pleasanton, CA); Gadsden Elementary School District #32 Marching Band (San Luis, AZ); Pacific American Volunteer Association World Traditional Korean Marching Band (PAVA World, Los Angeles, CA); Fishers High School Marching Tiger Band (Fishers, IN); Golden Valley High School Cardinal Regime (Merced, CA); Korean American Youth Performing Artists (KAYPA) (Chino, CA); Carlsbad High School Caveman Band and Color Guard (Carlsbad, NM); Center Grove High School Marching Band (Greenwood, IN); Cesar Chavez High School Marching Band and Color Guard (Stockton, CA); Spirit of Worthington Trojan Marching Band (Worthington, MN); New Milford Marching Band and Color Guard (New Milford, CT); Greenwood Marching Woodmen and Irish Guard (Greenwood, IN); Beverly Hills High School Marching Band (Beverly Hills, CA) and Los Angeles Catholic Schools Band (Torrance, CA).
Twenty larger than life inflatable character balloons will float down the streets of Hollywood, including: Betty Boop (Sponsored by Entertainment Tonight; Wrangled by the Hollywood Arts Council); Gumby (Sponsored by Gumby; Wrangled by Make-A-Wish Foundation); Rilakkuma (Brown Bear), Korilakkuma (White Bear) and Kiiroitori (Yellow Bird) (Sponsored and Wrangled by Rilakkuma); Gingerbread Man and Gingerbread House (Sponsored and Wrangled by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!); Pirate & Treasure Chest (Sponsored and Wrangled by Author Services, Inc. and Galaxy Press); Lorax (Sponsored by Variety; Wrangled by Hollywood Central Park); Toy Soldier (Sponsored by Coalition To Salute American Heroes; Wrangled by American Legion Auxiliary Hollywood, Unit 43); Garfield & Pookie (Sponsored by Easy Choice Health; Wrangled by Kiwanis) (Representative Robert Gandara); Star, Bell and Ornament (Sponsored and Wrangled by Salvation Army); Candy Canes, Christmas Stocking and Gift Box (Sponsored and Wrangled by www.cancuntravel.com).
Four Equestrian Units will be featured in this year’s parade, including: Knott’s Merry Farm (Buena Park, CA) with Santa Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy with spokesperson Tim Klega; Majestic Acres (Ramona, CA); Broken Horn Ropers (Baldwin Park, CA) and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Mounted Enforcement Detail.
Five Floats will be featured this year’s parade include: Rock Band Float with Aerialists, Fan Dancers and Kickline performing with Encore High School Hippogriffs from the Encore Junior/Senior High School for the Arts from Hesperia, CA; Nebuta Marching Unit and Nebuta Float inspired by the popular Nebuta Festival of Aomori Prefecure, one of the largest and most famous festivals in all of Japan that dates back hundreds of years; The Way To Happiness with actress Nancy Cartwright, Voice of Bart Simpson on “The Simpsons;” Miss Hollywood International Studios, Silvio Nicholas Walters, Presents “Heroes and Villians,” a array of original designs by Silvio Nicholas Walters starring Samantha Hart as The American Commander and Sweety Vaga as Bastet Cat Goddess, along with the Amazon Warriors; Santa Claus and His Reindeer, ushering in the holiday season, accompanied by two United States Marine Corps escorts. Santa’s Elves have adorned his ceremonial robe with snowflakes and thousands of Swarovski Crystals, in addition to weaving in 500 red crystals in the Poinsettia on Santa’s hat.
Seventy two Characters and Novelties will be featured in this year’s parade, including: United States Marine Corps Color Guard; 30 Movie Picture Cars Supplied by Nate Trumans’ Star Center; United States Air Force Color Guard; P51 Mustang and F16 Mini Jets; Gumby, with Joe Clokey, son of Art Clokey, creator of Gumby, and his wife Joan Clokey and their children; 501st Legion; Rilakkumma and Korilakkuma, with representative Rina Hoshino; Archibald Mouse with author Gradma Sylvia Lieberman and her daughter Dr. Carole Lieberman; Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! (celebrating their 100th Annivesary) with Unicyclist, Contortionist, Bullwhip Artist, Sword Swallower, Fire Breather; Aquarium of the Pacific; Friends of Sister Cities of Los Angeles;
Victor McGlaglen Motor Corporation and Stunt Team ad Paddington 2.
2017 Parade Sponsors will include: Marine Toys For Tots; Salvation Army; Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! – Hollywood, celebrating their 100th Anniversary in 2018; Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes (with at car transporting Emmy AwardÒ-winning Jack Scalia and Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Williams, U.S. Army (Ret.); Rilakkuma; The Aquarium of the Pacific, located in Long Beach, CA; Paddington 2; The Australian Institute For Performing Arts; Easy Choice Health Care; Archibald Mouse; Charlie McNeal, Singer and Recording Artist; Calprivate Bank; Knott’s Merry Farm; 501st Legion; Banc of California; Air Force Mini Jet Team; StarCarCentral.com and Miss Hollywood International Studios. Media Sponsors include: The CW, The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Hallmark Channel, Planet Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Variety, KOST 103.5 FM and POPSTAR!
For further information, please call the 24/7 Hollywood Christmas Parade Hotline toll free at 1-866-PARADE1 (1-866-727-2331). For highlights of past parades, and to learn more about this year’s 86th Anniversary, please visit the parade’s official website at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org
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Source: Hollywood Christmas Parade