Hooray for hollywood--sunday is parade day

The 60th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade--featuring floats, movie stars, circus animals, fireworks, marching bands and Santa Claus himself--will take place Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. Charlton

Heston is grand marshal of this year’s extravaganza. Joining him will be more than 100 other celebrities, 20 floats, 60 classic antique convertibles, 14 marching bands and 12 equestrian

units. For the second year in a row, the hometown favorites, the Hollywood High School marching band, will be featured prominently. Known as the Marching Sheiks, the band had not marched in

the last eight parades before last year’s because it was considered too small, too ragtag and not up to parade standards. The band rejoined the parade last year, helped by donations of

instruments and uniforms. This year, the band is 30 members strong “and building,” said Abbe Shorr, director of the Performing Arts Center, a magnet school program located at Hollywood High

School. “The band has been doing great things,” Shorr said. “We’ve been playing at (Walk of Fame) star openings and other events, and we’re ready to go.” Santa Claus will ride a 62-foot

sleigh (actually a float) sponsored by contributions from members of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Because of the expected crowds, several streets will be closed. Parade-goers are urged

to be on the parade route by 4:30 p.m. The Hollywood Freeway off-ramp at Sunset Boulevard will be closed at noon, and the ramps at Normandie Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard will be closed at

2:30 p.m. At 4:45 p.m., the parade route will be closed to all traffic. The 3.2-mile route starts at Sunset Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue. Marchers will head west on Sunset Boulevard to

Highland Avenue, then north on Hollywood Boulevard, then east to Bronson Avenue. East-west traffic will be diverted to Franklin Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard. Motorists traveling north

or south through Hollywood should travel either west of Highland Avenue or east of Western Avenue. The parade is being produced by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and underwritten by

corporate sponsors. The McDonald’s Operators’ Assn. of Southern California is the official sponsor. The parade will be televised live on KTLA, Channel 5, and will be rebroadcast twice in Los

Angeles. Tribune Entertainment will also distribute the broadcast to more than 150 cities nationwide and offer it as a Christmas Day special to more than 80 countries. Here are some parade

facts and highlights, as provided by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce: * It has never rained on the Hollywood Christmas Parade. In 1965, rain made the streets slick, but the skies cleared

in time for the procession. * The only non-human grand marshals have been Mickey and Minnie Mouse in 1987, in honor of Hollywood’s 100th birthday. * One year, Santa’s float got stuck in

traffic at the end of the parade route and he was besieged by a group of children, who climbed aboard his float. The police were called to Santa’s rescue, and as he was whisked away in the

back seat of a patrol car, a chorus of children’s voices could be heard saying, “Santa got busted.” * Another year, the Santa float was delayed by paramedics because a woman in the crowd

gave birth on the street. By the time the float proceeded down Hollywood Boulevard to end the parade, television viewers had to watch Santa through the rolling TV credits, prompting angry

phone calls from around the country. * In 1964, 3-year-old Randy Harris of Santa Ana successfully eluded police officers and parade security guards to get aboard Santa’s float. He climbed

into the merry gent’s arms and asked for a choo-choo train. 60th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade Facts and Figures Time: Today, from 6 to 8 p.m. Grand marshal: Charlton Heston Route

distance: 3.2 miles Participants: More than 100 celebrities, 20 floats, 60 classic antique convertibles, 14 marching bands and 12 equestrian units TV coverage: KTLA, Channel 5 Traffic Tips

Parade-goers are urged to be on the parade route by 4:30 p.m. Hollywood Freeway off-ramp at Sunset Boulevard will be closed at noon, and the ramps at Normandie Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard

will be closed at 2:30 p.m. Parade route will be closed to all traffic at 4:45 p.m East-west traffic will be diverted to Franklin Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard. Motorists traveling

north or south through Hollywood should travel either west of Highland Avenue or east of Western Avenue. RTD buses will be allowed to use the parade route until just before the parade, then

will be diverted to Franklin Avenue or Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. Seating and Tickets Spectators can watch the parade from any part of the parade route. Reserved grandstand

seating is available at the KTLA-TV camera location for $20 per ticket. The grandstands will run along Sunset from Van Ness to Bronson. Additional “adjacent” grandstand seats will be

available from Bronson west to Gordon Street for $15. To buy tickets, call (213) 462-2394. Parade Lore It has never rained on the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The only non-human grand

marshals have been Mickey and Minnie Mouse in 1987. One year, Santa’s float got stuck in traffic at the end of the parade route and he was besieged by a group of children. The police were

called, and Santa was whisked away in a patrol car. A chorus of children’s voices could be heard saying “Santa got busted.” In 1964, 3-year-old Randy Harris of Santa Ana successfully eluded

police officers and parade security guards to get aboard Santa’s float. He climbed into the merry gent’s arms and asked for a choo-choo train. MORE TO READ