The Hollywood Christmas Parade is an annual event held along Hollywood Boulevard. Santa together with numerous colorful festive floats and marching bands lead the parade. This bright and sparkling event takes place on Sunday after Thanksgiving Day. The starting point is on Hollywood Boulevard at Orange, then it proceeds to the east to Vine Street, south to Sunset Boulevard, and west back to Orange. It attracts crowds of spectators as well as some celebrities.
The parade is one of the oldest such events in California, dating back to 1928. At that time, a one-mile stretch of Hollywood Boulevard got transformed into Santa Claus Lane to promote local businesses. A daily parade featuring Santa Claus and a movie celebrity was initially called the Santa Claus Lane Parade. Actress Jeanette Loff was the first movie star to participate in the event. During World War II the parade got suspended, but in 1945 it was held again. Many Hollywood stars and famous athletes were celebrity marshals of the Hollywood Christmas Parade including Joe E. Brown, Gene Autry, Michael Landon, Sammy Davis Jr., Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Hasselhoff, Tom Arnold, Beau Bridges, Peter Fonda, Mickey Rooney, Johnny Grant, Magic Johnson, Antonio Villaraigosa, George López, Bob Barker, Susan Lucci, Larry King, Joe Mantegna, Buzz Aldrin, Stevie Wonder, and Nancy O'Dell.
