The 85th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade kicked off the official start of the holiday season with its traditional route down Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards. The parade traveled along a 3.2-mile route, starting at Orange Drive and Hollywood Boulevard, heading east to Vine Street, then south and back west along Sunset Boulevard to Orange.
Thousands of fans lined the streets with lawn chairs and cameras as they braved the cold weather to see the stars ride in the parade along with dozens of marching bands, equestrian units, larger than life inflatable balloons, rounding off the night with an appearance by St Nick himself, Santa Claus.
Music superstar and actress, Olivia Newton-John, served as grand marshal, to the parade. Newton-John also performed at the pre-parade concert which also featured Cyndi Lauper, Kenny G, War, Scotty McCreery, Band of Merry Makers featuring Mark McGrath and Lisa Loeb and others.
“The Bold and the Beautiful,” cast member John McCook, who along with his cast, celebrated the 30th Anniversary with a parade appearance, helped announce the parade earlier this month along with “The Young and the Restless” Kate Linder. Joining McCook on the special parade car were his “The Bold and the Beautiful” cast mates, original cast member Katherine Kelly Lang, Anthony Turpel, Darin Brooks, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, Jennifer Gareis, Karla Moseley, Kelly Kruger, Dick Christie, Scott Clifton and Winsor Harmon.
Also riding in the parade were former parade grand marshal, Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr, former grand marshal Robert Wagner, Lou Ferrigno, “Days of our Lives” star Deidre Hall and “Home & Family” hosts Mark Steines and Debbie Matenopoulos, who will be hosting the official Christmas Tree Lighting Special at The White House later this week.
Viewers can catch the televised version of the parade when it is broadcast as a two-hour special on The CW Network on Friday, December 16th at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel on Wednesday, December 21st at 3:00 p.m. ET/PT.
TV Music Network were on the red carpet and spoke with Scotty McCreery. Click on the video below to see what he had to say about new music, American Idol, the holidays and more.
Scotty McCreery at the 2016 Hollywood Christmas Parade by TVMusic Network
