The 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade Airs On The CW Network This Friday

The 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade Featuring Marine Toys for Tots, led by Grand Marshal Nancy O'Dell of Entertainment Tonight, and produced by Associated Television International, will be telecast as a two-hour primetime special on The CW Network on Friday, December 14, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, 7:00 p.m. CT.

The parade is hosted by Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, and Montel Williams. Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton serve as Co-Hosts.

This year's parade will feature All-Star performances from Donny and Marie Osmond, The Beach Boys Performing Mike Love's new single, "(You'll Never Be) Alone on Christmas Day," The Tearaways, The Band of Merrymakers, Mikalah Gordon, Blake Lewis, Clare Dunn, Elliott Yamin, Kimberly Caldwell, David Archuleta, Ashanti, Ruben Studdard, Ripley's Believe It or Not! There will also be a Special Tribute from Ludacris and a Special Appearance by Dr. Oz.

Additional performers will include star magicians from The CW's hit show Masters of Illusion returning for Season Six in the Summer of 2019, as well as performances from the Gevorkian Dance Academy, The Cubcakes Crew, Celtic Irish Dance Academy, Trinity Valley Community College Cardettes, Camp Broadway and 34th and Phunk.

The parade's 75 Celebrities and VIPS will include cast members from: "The Family Business," "The Young and the Restless," "Masters of Illusion," "Days of Our Lives," "General Hospital," "The Bold and The Beautiful," "Days of Our Lives," "That's So Raven," as well as Lt. General Peter Osman, President and CEO of Marine Toys For Tots, Jerry Mathers, Lou Ferrigno, Burt Ward, Stefanie Powers, Miss California USA 2018 Kelley Johnson, Jason Dohring, DJ Mark Wallengren of KOST 103.5 FM, RJ Word, Kaitlyn McCormick of "Masha and The Bear," GUMBY and Joan Clokey of Clokey Productions/Premavision Studios, Aquarium of the Pacific, Knott's Merry Farm with Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy, David Longoria, Dallas Lovato, Robert Eibach, Congressman Adam Schiff, Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, Councilmember David E. Rye, Art Jensen, a 109-year-old man with Ripley's Believe It or Not!, now celebrating their 100th Anniversary, and of course, the man of the season, Santa Claus, with his Marine Escorts, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew McDonald and First Sergeant Bill Holodnak.

Fourteen 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; Thomas Jefferson High School Jaguar Marching Band (Bloomington, MN); Korean American Youth Performing Artists (KAYPA) (Chino, CA); Carrollton Trojan High School Marching Band now celebrating their 70th Anniversary (Carrollton, GA); The Salvation Army Band (Los Angeles, CA); O'Fallen Township Marching Panthers (O'Fallen, IL); Habersham Central High School Band (Mt. Airy, GA); Northwest Guilford Marching Viking Band (Greensboro, NC); Pacific American Volunteer Association World Traditional Korean Marching Band (PAVA World, Los Angeles, CA); El Roble Intermediate School Marching Band and Color Guard (Claremont, CA); Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums (an Irish pipe band from Los Angeles, CA); Summit High School (Fontana, CA); Chatfield Senior High "Charger" Marching Band (Littleton, CO) and Los Angeles Catholic Schools Band (Torrance, CA).

Eight larger than life inflatable character balloons will float down the streets of Hollywood, including: Cat In The Hat (Sponsored by Entertainment Tonight and Wrangled by Air Force); GUMBY (Sponsored by GUMBY and Wrangled by American Legion Auxiliary Hollywood, Unit 43); Toy Soldier (Sponsored and Wrangled by Ripley's Believe It or Not!); Penguins of Madagascar (Sponsored by Variety and Wrangled by Kiwanis); Pirate and Chest (Sponsored and Wrangled by Author Services, Inc. and Galaxy Press); Grinch (Sponsored and Wrangled by Unified Young Armenians with Dancers from Gevorkian Dance Academy and Vanoush Khanamirian Dance School, Dhol Armenian Drummers and Flags of the United States, California, Artsakh and Armenia); and Nutcracker (Sponsored and Wrangled by Easy Choice Health Care).

Four Equestrian Units will be featured in this year's parade, including: Knott's Merry Farm (Buena Park, CA) with Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy with spokesperson Tim Klega; Express Employment Professionals Presents The Express Clydesdales; Broken Horn Ropers (Sponsored by The Broken Horn Saddlery of Baldwin Park, CA) and Majestic Acres (Ramona, CA).

Four Floats will be featured this year's parade including: 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 actor Jason Dohring; The Hanart Chinese Latern Festival and Santa Claus and His Reindeer, ushering in the holiday season, accompanied by two United States Marine Corps escorts, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew McDonald and First Sergeant Bill Holodnak. 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.

Fifty Characters and Novelties will be featured in this year's parade, including: United States Marine Corps Color Guard; 36 Movie Picture Cars Supplied by Nate Trumans' Star Center; United States Air Force Color Guard; P51 Mustang and F16 Mini Jets; GUMBY; 501st Legion & Rebel Legions including 189 Characters; Ripley's Believe It Or Not! (celebrating their 100th Anniversary) with Spokesperson Sabrina Sieck and 109-Year-Old Man, Art Jensen); The Salvation Army VW Bug; Aquarium of the Pacific; Trolley with International Visitors Council Friends of Sister Cities; "Masha and The Bear" with Kaitlyn McCormick.

The live parade made its 3.2 trek through the streets of Hollywood, CA on November 25, 2018. The live parade was presented by Associated Television International in association with The City of Los Angeles, and was taped for airing on The CW Network December 14, 2018. The parade will also be seen on Hallmark after The CW broadcast and will air to more than one million American servicemen and women worldwide on the American Forces Network at 12-Noon on December 25, 2018, Christmas Day.


For further information, please visit the parade's official website at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org