82nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade Kicks Off Sunday

By City News Service

Led by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the 82nd Hollywood Christmas Parade will make its way through the streets of Tinseltown Sunday, featuring an appearance by Santa Claus and a host of television personalities -- including Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow from "Leave it to Beaver."

A pre-parade concert at 4:40 p.m. will include performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Richie Sambora, Billy Ray Cyrus, LeAnn Rimes, William Shatner and Kenny Loggins.

The parade itself will begin at 6:30 p.m., stepping off from Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Street. The parade will travel east on Hollywood, then south on Vine Street, then west on Sunset Boulevard back to Orange.

The parade benefits the Marine Toys for Tots program.

"I am extremely honored to serve as grand marshal ...," the 83-year- old Aldrin said, calling the parade "a treasured American tradition for all of us who are young at heart.

"Come celebrate the holidays with me on the festive streets of Hollywood on December 1st as we moonwalk down the parade route together."

Television personalities Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie will serve as broadcast hosts of the parade.

Among the celebrities expected to participate in the parade are Ben Vereen, Bruce Vilanch, Calum Worthy, Jake Short, Joey Lawrence, Melissa Joan Hart, Madison Pettis, Nia Peeples, Greg Louganis, Simon Templeton, Valerie Harper and cast members of "Shahs of Sunset."

Mayor Eric Garcetti is also expected to take part in the parade, along with several members of the City Council.

Reserved-seating grandstand tickets are available for $45, $65 and $85. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 25 or more.

Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon after his crew mate, the late Neil Armstrong, during the lunar landing of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

The role the Montclair, N.J., native played in the mission led to him being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Aldrin earned a B.S. degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and then joined the Air Force, flying F86 Sabre jets during the Korean War. He shot down two MiG-5s in the course of 66 combat missions.

In 1963, Aldrin earned a Doctorate of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and that same year was selected into the third group of astronauts. He performed the first successful spacewalk on the Gemini 12 orbital mission in 1966.

An author of eight books, Aldrin -- along with Apollo 11 crew mates Armstrong and Michael Collins -- was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins have a star on each corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine street along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

More information about the parade is available at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org.