Holiday Parade Today in Hollywood

, but that doesn't mean you can't get into the holiday spirit.

In the past, we have had such celebrities as Magic Johnson, and Kevin Dobson from Knot's Landing fame head up our parade.

However, tonight's event, at the Hollywood Christmas Parade, will be led by Emmy- and Tony award-winning actor Joe Mantegna. The parade make its way along a 3.2-mile route with other celebrities, singers, dancers, marching bands and equestrian teams beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Mantegna will serve as grand marshal for the parade, which will also feature appearances by dozens of television personalities, including Lou Ferrigno, Louis Gossett Jr., Natasha Henstridge, Lauren Potter and Josh Sussman of Glee, Jerry Mathers, Uggie the dog from The Artist' and, of course, Santa Claus.

Acrobats from Cirque du Soleil's "Iris'' will also perform during a pre-
parade show, along with American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke; magician
Darren Romeoc; performers from Cirque du Soleil and the American Musical and
Dramatic Academy; performance artists, Jabbawokeez; singer Ashlee Keating; and the gay and lesbian choir, West Coast Singers.

TV personalities Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie will be broadcast hosts
of the parade and actor Dean Cain will host the music portion, which will air
on the Hallmark Channel on Dec. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. and the Hallmark Movie
Channel on Dec. 21 6-8 p.m.

Also featured in the parade will be some vintage Hollywood vehicles,
such as a van from The A-Team, Batmobiles from 1966 and 1992, Herbie the Love Bug, a Jurassic Park Jeep, Pee Wee Herman's bike and a Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit.

The pre-parade show will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the procession
beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard. 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. The event is
sponsored by the city of Los Angeles, the Hallmark Channel and Associated
Television International, which is executive-producing the live parade and the
telecast. Community Sponsors include Author Services, Metro, Twin America and Sister Cities.

--City News Service