The show must go on, pandemic or not! Even though the live Hollywood Christmas Parade didn’thappen this year in the streets of Hollywood the Sunday following Thanksgiving as it has in the past, there will be a televised special highlighting past parades. To usher in the joy of the holiday season, Associated Television International will present “The Hollywood Christmas Parade Greatest Moments,” supporting Marine Toys for Tots and celebrating an 89-year-old American tradition with the most memorable moments of past Hollywood Christmas Parades over the last decade. Hosted by Laura McKenzie and Erik Estrada, joined by Montel Williams, Dean Cain. Elizabeth Stanton and other special guests, the two-hour primetime special will air on The CW Network on Friday, December 4, 2020 from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET.
Performers, introduced by Dean Cain, will include: Band of Merrymakers, Village People, Olivia Newton-John, Bret Michaels, WAR, Kenny Loggins, Ruben Studdard, Mike Love and The Beach Boys, LeAnn Rimes, Daughtry, Donny & Marie Osmond, India Arie, David Archuleta and Bank of Harmony.
The television special will also include montages of past parade Grand Marshals and animated characters, along with “Holiday Celebrity Shout Outs” from Dr. Oz, Olivia Newton-John, Penn & Teller, Joe Mantegna, Louis Gossett, Jr., Marie Osmond and Nancy O’Dell. The parade will be capped off with the welcomed arrival of the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus, accompanied by Marine Corps Escorts.
Elizabeth Stanton, Host of The CW’s “World’s Funniest Animals,” will appear as a special guest along with star magicians, Ed Alonzo and Farrell Dillon from The CW’s “Masters of Illusion.”
There will be several segments in the parade featuring Marine Toys for Tots, whose mission is to collect new unwrapped toys to distribute to less fortunate children at Christmas. Lieutenant General James B. Laster, the newly installed President and CEO of Marine Toys for Tots, will be introduced, and television viewers will learn more about Marine Toys for Tots Native American Program from Montel Williams.
Marching Bands featured in the parade will include: U.S. Marine Band San Diego, Fayette County High School Marching Tigers from Fayetteville, GA, Korean American Youth Performing Artists from Chino, CA, Greenwood Marching Woodmen and Irish Guard from Greenwood, IN, Center Grove High School Marching Band from Greenwood, IN, The Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes & Drums, PAVA World Traditional Korean Band of Los Angeles, CA and Long Beach Jr. Concert Band.
Rounding out the parade will be: Larger Than Life Inflatable Character Balloons: Angry Birds, Santa Garfield, Scooby Doo, Superman, Kermit The Frog, Elmo, Super Grover, Sam I Am, Thing 1 &2, The Cat In The Hat, Gumby, Penguins of Madagascar, PacMan, Darth Stewie, Strawberry Shortcake. Specialty Acts and Novelties: Star Cars Central, Gevorkian Dance Academy, Hip-Hop Dancers 34th and Phunk, U.S. Air Force Color Guard and Mini Jets, 501st Legion/Rebel Legions. Equestrians: Mario’s Andalusian’s of Mira Loma, CA, Majestic Acres from Ramona, CA, Charros De La Puente. Floats will include Nebuta Marching Unit and Nebuta Float inspired by the popular Nebuta Festival of Aomori Prefecture, Chinese Lantern Festival from Pomona, CA and Santa Claus and His Reindeer accompanied by his Marine Corps Escorts.
