HGTV will provide live coverage of the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade Thursday, Jan. 1 starting at 11 a.m. ET.
Cloris Leachman, recently of Dancing with the Stars fame, will serve as grand marshal for the “Hats Off to Entertainment”-themed parade.
Guest host Jann Carl and other HGTV personalities will highlight every float, equestrian unit and marching band. Shot in high definition and simulcast on HGTV and HGTV HD, the parade will cover the legendary five-and-a-half mile parade route down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California.
Carl, best known as the weekend co-anchor and correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, will once again join returning favorites, gardening expert Paul James and veteran television producer/host Robb Weller. Each will provide his own knowledgeable and sometimes quirky perspective on the parade’s magnificent floral floats.
HGTV’s Chi-Lan Lieu also will return as a roving reporter, interviewing various float riders and band members exclusively for the network.
HGTV’s comprehensive coverage will include a special appearance by Genevieve Gorder whose new series, Dear Genevieve, premieres immediately following the parade coverage. Designer John Gidding, from Designed To Sell, will share highlights from the HGTV Dream Home 2009 tour special which premieres later that evening at 9 p.m. ET.
HGTV.com will have additional details about the featured floats, marching bands and high-stepping equestrian units featured in the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade.
By Larry Barrett — Multichannel News, 12/4/2008