Organizers of the 85th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, the largest Christmas event in America, announced the 2016 talent lineup for its landmark anniversary celebration. Olivia Newton-John will be taking on the duties of grand marshal with musical performances will be featured during the parade and national telecast, and will include the following artists: Olivia Newton-John, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny G, WAR, Eric Benét, Scotty McCreery, The Empty Hearts super group with All Star members from Blondie, The Cars, Chesterfield Kings and The Romantics, Band Of Merrymakers, and more. The parade will also showcase a special magic performance by the stars of the CW’s hit series, “Masters of Illusion.”

The live parade, taped for network television, will take place on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 5 p.m. The parade’s telecast will be hosted by Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain and Montel Williams with special co-hosts Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton.

The 85th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade will premiere as a two-hour primetime special on the CW Network on Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT) repeating on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. ET/PT (2 p.m. CT).

The parade, benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots program, which is essential in providing gifts to less fortunate children everywhere, will also air to more than one million American servicemen and women worldwide on American Forces Network. A true Hollywood yearly tradition, the parade attracts more than one million in attendance each year with larger-than-life inflatable character balloons, award winning bands, colorful equestrians, ornate floats, popular characters/novelties, celebrity filled cars and, of course, Santa Claus making the much heralded trek down the over three mile parade route.

Grandstand seats are now completely sold out. Free curbside seating will be available along the entire parade route, starting east of the grandstand seating area on Hollywood Boulevard. The parade will travel along a 3.2 mile U-shaped route starting at Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard traveling east on Hollywood Boulevard to Vine Street, turning south on Vine Street to Sunset Boulevard, and then turning west on Sunset Boulevard traveling back to Orange Street.

For further information, call the 24/7 Hollywood Christmas Parade hotline toll free at (866) PARADE1 (866-727-2331). For highlights of past parades and to learn more about this year’s 85th anniversary, visit the parade’s official website at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org.