The 85th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade With Grand Marshal Olivia Newton-John To Air December 16th Nationwide On The CW Network And December 21st on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The 85^th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade featuring Grand Marshal Olivia Newton-John,  will premiere as a two-hour primetime special on Friday, December 16, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (7:00 p.m. CT) on The CW Network repeating on Wednesday, December 21, 2106 at 3:00 p.m. ET/PT (2:00 p.m. CT)  on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel The parade will also air to more than one million American servicemen and women overseas on the American Forces Network. 

Hosted by Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie, along with Dean Cain and Montel Williams, (with special co-hosts Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton), the parade is produced by Associated Television International and presented in association with The City of Los Angeles.  Returning to celebrate the parade's 85^th Anniversary are former parade Grand Marshals Mickey Mouse, along with dancers from D23, The Official Disney® Fan Club, Louis Gossett Jr. and Robert Wagner.  This year's parade features performances from Olivia Newton-John, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny G, Scotty McCreery, WAR, Mike Love and The Beach Boys, Band of Merrymakers including Mark McGrath and Lisa Loeb, Julia Ara, The Empty Hearts with members from Blondie, The Cars, Chesterfield Kings and The Romantics, Cassidy Diana;  and magic performances by Tommy Wind, Murray SawChuck and Naathan Phan, stars of The CW Network's hit television series, "Masters of Illusion." 

There will also be a tribute to the 85th anniversary presented by Ludacris; and special guest greetings from Dolly Parton and Reba Mcintyre.  All performances feature the Marine Toys for Tots program, which is essential in providing gifts to less fortunate children worldwide.

Other parade participants include:  80 celebrities from the casts of "The Bold and The Beautiful," now celebrating their 30^th  Anniversary;  "Days of Our Lives";  "Black-ish";  "Fresh Off The Boat";  Hallmark Channel's "A Wish For Christmas";  POP TV's new comedy series "This Just In";  "Lethal Weapon";  and "School of Rock.  Also appearing are Congressman Adam B. Schiff and City of Los Angeles Councilmembers Mitch O'Farrell and David E. Ryu; 17 award-winning bands from around the country; 22 larger than life inflatable balloons; six equestrian units; 56 characters and novelties; and five floats including the "man of the season," Santa Claus, accompanied by his Marine escorts Sergeant Ruben Rivera and Staff Sergeant Cathleen Barsallo.

This year's live parade was presented in the streets of Hollywood on Sunday, November 27, 2016, and featured 5,000 participants, traveling along a 3.2 mile U-shaped route through the streets of Hollywood, California.  To view highlights of the 85^th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, please visit:
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/maWAc/bW95ZXJwckBlYXJ0aGxpbmsubmV0

Media partners for this year's parade include The CW Network, The Hallmark Channel, Entertainment Tonight, Variety and KOST 103.5 FM.

Follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/xmasparade and https://twitter.com/HlywdChristmas @HlywdChristmas   #HollywoodChristmasParade   #HCP2016

Below is a list of additional participants:

17 Award-Winning Bands From Around The Country:

• Marine Band San Diego with U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard ("Hooray For Hollywood" and "Marine Hymn")
• Barron Collier High School Cougar Band (Naples, FL)
• Cherry Creek High School Marching Band (Greenwood Village, CO)
• Fayette County High School Marching Band (Fayetteville, GA)
• Frank Scott Bunnell High School Bulldog Marching Band (Stratford, CT)
• Gilmer High School Marching Band (Ellijay, GA)
• Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, GA)
• Korean American Youth Performing Artists (KAYPA) (Chino, CA)
• Milton High School Band (Milton, GA) ("Joy To The World," "Up On The Housetop," "Jingle Bells," "Ukrainian Bell Carol," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Hallelujah")
• Lafayette Jefferson High School Band (Lafayette, IN)
• Lincoln High School "Patriot" Marching Band (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
• Los Angeles Catholic Schools Band (Torrance, CA)
• Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums (Fullerton, CA)
• Monache Marauder Band and Color Guard (Porterville, CA)
• Pacific American Volunteer Association World Traditional Korean Marching Band (PAVA World, Los Angeles, CA)
• The Pride of Dutchmen Marching Band (Orange City, IA)
• The Pride of Eastside (Eastside High School) (Covington, GA) (Theme from "In The Heat of the Night")

22 Larger Than Life Inflatable Character Balloons:

• Dr. Seuss' The Cat In The Hat (presented by Entertainment Tonight and wrangled by Hollywood Central Park)
• Gumby (wrangled by Make-A-Wish Foundation)
• Penguins of Madagascar (wrangled by Civil Air Patrol)
• Dr. Seuss' Grinch Santa (sponsored by the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, wrangled by the American Legion Auxiliary)
• Pirate & Chest (sponsored and wrangled by Author Services, Inc. and Galaxy Press)
• Dr. Seuss' Thing 1 and Thing 2 (wrangled by the Hollywood Arts Council)
• Rilakkuma (Brown Bear), Korilakkuma (White Bear) and Kiiroitori (Yellow Bird) (sponsored and wrangled by Rilakkuma)
• Dog With Newspaper (sponsored and wrangled by DogVacay)
• Santa Garfield (sponsored by and wrangled by Easy Choice Health Plan)
• Pacman (wrangled by the Kiwanis Club)
• Toy Soldier (wrangled by U.S. Air Force)
• Two Elves and Four Lollipops (sponsored and wrangled by Hollywood Hotel)

6 Equestrian Units:

• Broken Horn Ropers (Bakersfield, CA)
• Express Employment Professionals and the Express Clydesdales (Oklahoma City, OK)
• Majestic Acres (Ramona, CA)
• Knott's Merry Farm (Buena Park, CA) with Santa Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy
• Valley Center Vaqueros (Valley Center, CA)
• Mane Attraction (Riverside, CA)

56 Characters/Novelties:

• 44 Movie Picture Cars Supplied by Nate Trumans' Star Center, including:  Jurrasic Park RV, Jurrasic Park Jeep, Green Hornet, Batmobile 60's, Batmobile used by actor Michael Keaton, Gotham PD, Joker PD, Kitt Night Rider, Super Pursuit Mode Kitt, Scooby Doo Van (Cartoon), Scooby Doo Van (Film), "Francesco," Pixar Truck, Herbie Nascar, Herbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Van, Mach 5 Speed Racer, Starsky and Hutch, General Lee, Magnum PI Ferrari, Rockford Files Firebird, The Prisoner Lotus 7, Austin Powers Shaguar, Smokey and The Bandit, Ghostbusters ECTO-1, A-Team Van, Emergency 51, CHiPs Police Car, CHiPs Motorcycle, Transformers – Barricade, Transformers – Bumblebee, Transformers – Beaterbee, Expendables Truck, Christine, Highway Patrol Buick, Blues Brothers, Blues Brothers State Police Car '55, "Defiance" Charger, Rat Patrol WW2 Jeep, Back To The Future 1, Back To The Future 2, Back To The Future 3
• Gumby, with Joe Clokey, son of Art Clokey, creator of Gumby
• Hot Wheels® X-Wing Fighter
• 501^st Legion & Rebel Legions
• U.S. Air Force Color Guard
• Three Mini Jets and P51 Mustang
• Chuck E. Cheese and Helen Henny
• Club Car (Civil Air Patrol Commanders)
• Sister Cities of Los Angeles with former Councilmember Tom LaBonge
• Archibald Mouse with author Sylvia Lieberman and her daughter Dr. Carole Lieberman

18 Parade Sponsors:

• Marine Toys For Tots Foundation
• Express Employment Professionals and the Express Clydesdales
• http://www.starcarcentral.com/
• Rilakkuma
• Sister Cities of Los Angeles
• Miss Hollywood International Studios
• Nebuta Float (www.lanebuta.com) and Taiko Drums
• Hot Wheels®
• DogVacay
• Coalition to Salute America's Heroes
• Gumby and Joe Clokey and Family, the son of the late Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby, (www.gumbyworld.com)
• Chuck E. Cheese's® Where A Kid Can Be A Kid®
• www.clubcar.com
• Balsam Hill Christmas Trees and CEO Thomas Harman
• Air Force Mini Jet Team
• Archibald Mouse
• 501^st Legion & Rebel Legions
• Easy Choice Health Plan (www.easychoicehealthplan.com) (which will have an informational booth about Easy Choice Health Plans at the northwest corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on parade day, November 27^th).

SOURCE Associated Television International