Historic Christmas Parade To Make Its Way Through Tinseltown
HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — The 80th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade led by grand marshal Marie Osmond will make its way through the streets of Tinseltown.
The parade is set to begin at 6 p.m. Sunday at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive.
It will then move east to Vine Street, south to Sunset Boulevard and back west to Orange.
"CHiPs" star Erik Estrada and "World's Funniest Moments" host Laura McKenzie will emcee the event and Dean Cain will host the music portion of the televised parade special, which will air Dec. 12, on the Hallmark Channel.
Proceeds from the telecast will benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Among the celebrities expected to take part in the parade are "Dancing with the Stars" Mark Ballas, Heather Tom and Jacob Young of "The Bold & the Beautiful," among others.
The parade will also feature more than a dozen marching bands, balloons, floats and equestrian units.
Motorists should anticipate traffic delays in the Hollywood area with many streets including Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and Orange and Orange Drive between Hollywood Boulevard and Hawthorn Avenue expected to remain closed until 6 a.m. Monday.
The following streets are expected to be closed to midnight on Sunday:
• Hollywood Blvd between La Brea & Orange;
• Hawthorn Avenue between La Brea Avenue & Mc Cadden Place;
• Lanewood Avenue between La Brea Avenue & Orange Drive;
• Sunset Boulevard between Highland Avenue & La Brea Avenue;
• De Longpre Avenue between Highland Avenue & La Brea Avenue;
• Fountain Avenue between Highland Avenue & La Brea Avenue;
• El Cerrito Place between Franklin Avenue & Hollywood Boulevard;
• Sycamore Avenue between Franklin Avenue & Hawthorn Avenue;
• Sycamore Avenue between Sunset Boulevard & Fountain Avenue;
• Orange Drive between Franklin Avenue & Hollywood Boulevard;
• Orange Drive between Hawthorn Avenue & Santa Monica Boulevard;
• Mansfield Avenue between De Longpre Avenue & Fountain Avenue;
• Hollywood Boulevard between Highland Avenue & Vine Street;
• Vine Street between Hollywood Boulevard & Sunset Boulevard;
• Sunset Boulevard between Vine Street & Highland Avenue;
• Franklin Avenue between La Brea Avenue & Highland Avenue;
• Highland Avenue between Franklin Avenue & Sunset Boulevard;
• Santa Monica Blvd between La Brea Avenue & Gower Street;
• La Brea Avenue between Franklin Avenue & Fountain Avenue (East side of street only);
• Cahuenga Boulevard between Yucca Street & Hollywood Boulevard (West side of street only);
• Yucca Street between Gower Street & Argyle Street (North side of street only).
In addition, the Cahuenga and Highland off-ramps from north and southbound 101 Freeway is expected to be closed starting at 3 p.m. through 10 p.m. Sunday.
More information is available by visiting the parade's Web site.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
