Santa's First Stop and Shop in Metro Detroit

Santa's First Stop and Shop in Metro Detroit

Downtown Royal Oak's Televised Holiday Magic Parade

Saturday, November 18 -- 10AM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,000 volunteers and participants will come together to make Santa's Official First Stop in Metro Detroit, the Fifth Annual Holiday Magic Parade in Downtown Royal Oak, a spectacular high impact 50-unit parade on Saturday, November 18 at 10am, according to press reports from the North Pole. In its fifth year, the Downtown Development Authority's (DDA) Holiday Magic Program has grown to become one of the most anticipated, highly entertaining holiday events in the region. WJBK FOX 2 will be televising it LIVE in a one hour program.

"We are thrilled to be taking this great event to the broadcast airwaves," said Barbara Bos, Chairperson of the DDA. "While we want everyone to come down and watch the parade live, it is wonderful that we are able to show many people throughout Metro Detroit how exciting Downtown Royal Oak is through televising our event," she added.

The magical parade units will entertain an anticipated 30,000 guests and tens of thousands of viewers watching at home on November 18 at 10am. "I am looking forward to re-living my old career as the Operations Manager for Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade," said Parade Marshal Ed Nahhat, a Royal Oak resident who previously worked for The Parade Company as Operations Manager before becoming an attorney. Nahhat is one of more than 50 volunteers who will help guide the parade down Washington Avenue and Fourth Street. Fox 2 Morning News Team Fanchon Stinger, Ben Bailey, Jackie Paige and Reporter Jason Carr will narrate the parade live.

WHEN: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2006

TIMES: 7AM Detroit Police Department escort Parade Company Floats
Mother Goose, The Grinch and Everyday Heroes and the Magical,
Musical Stage into Royal Oak at I-696 and Woodward.

7:30AM Parade Lines up along Washington Avenue, from Woodward
north to Lincoln.

PARADE DAY SALE -- STORES OPEN AT 8AM FOR HOLIDAY SAVINGS

TREATS ON THE STREET -- WARM UP WITH STARBUCKS AND THE ROYAL OAK
CHILDREN'S CHOIR ON FOURTH AND WASHINGTON AT 9AM

PARADE: 10AM-11AM WASHINGTON AVENUE NORTH TO FOURTH; FOURTH STREET
WEST TO LAFAYETTE (End at Lafayette and Fourth)

MAIN STAGE: 11AM-11:30AM (IN FRONT OF ROYAL OAK THEATRE)

SANTA'S KINGDOM
11:30AM-1:30PM VISITS WITH SANTA AT ANDIAMO OSTERIA
129 S. MAIN STREET, CORNER OF SECOND
PHOTOS WITH SANTA FOR $7.00
MEET MITZI MILES FROM WMGC 105.1FM Radio; Meet The Candy Band
and purchase their new CD; Meet local authors Karen and Darrin

Brege for a Mick Morris Myth Solver Book signing; purchase
about Andiamo gift baskets and gift cards and more!

VARIOUS PARADE HIGHLIGHTS:
* Santa and Merry Christmas Carol (Mrs. Claus) with Fox 2's Weekend Anchor
Deena Centofanti and Meteorologist Wyatt Evarhart with some friends
including the Detroit Free Press Yak and the Alien from Mick Morris Myth
Solver Book Series, in a horse drawn sleigh

* The Grinch, his dog Max and a cast of Who-ville Characters

* Old School Holiday Funk by Hot Sauce, A High-Energy Band Hailing from
Detroit

* The Candy Band -- Everyone's favorite Rock 'n Roll Moms, sing their
latest rockin' holiday tune, "I want a Big Fat Cookie for Christmas;"

* The Parade Company's newest float, the musical "Everyday Heroes Float,"
is a salute to law enforcement, first responders and volunteers;

* The Parade Company's original float, "Mother Goose" is a Salute to Royal
Oak's oldest family-owned business William Sullivan & Son and The
Sullivan Family, who are celebrating 100 years in Royal Oak;

* Award-winning blues man and news man Luther "Badman" Keith singing the
holiday blues

* Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools together with Royal Oak High School
Marching Band, Cheer and Dance Teams

* Local Comedians and Authors Karen and Darrin Brege and their hit
children's book "Mick Morris Myth Solver" float

* Award winning marching bands from Metro Detroit including Cass Tech High
School Marching Band and Dance Troupe and Utica High School Marching
Band and Dance Troupe;

* A feat of remarkable skill, the Redford Township Unicyclists of all
ages;

* A special tribute to Scottish Culture with the award-winning Cabar Feidh
Bagpipe Band;

* A tribute to the Detroit Tigers with 1984 World Series All Star Milt
Wilcox, Detroit Tigers Mascot Paws, Milt's dog Sparky and a parade of
dogs.

In addition to hundreds of volunteers, several sponsors, service clubs and city departments make the Holiday Magic Parade possible, including: The Downtown Development Authority, Royal Oak Police Department, Royal Oak Fire Department, Royal Oak Department of Public Service, Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools, National City, William Sullivan & Son, Starbucks Coffee Company, Andiamo Osteria, Royal Oakland Community Credit Union, Aqua Salon, Hagopian, Detroit Free Press, Charlotte, Help-U-Sell Realtors, and the Royal Oak Kiwani's Club, Royal Oak Jaycees and Royal Oak Woman's Club, to name a few.

For more information, call Peggy Goodwin, Holiday Magic Organizer at 248.414.4533 or email peggygoodwin@goodwinconsulting.us and the DDA information line at 248.246.3065 and http://www.downtownroyaloak.org/.

Contact: Peggy Goodwin, Holiday Magic Organizer

248.414.4533 and cell 248.376.0390

Source: Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority

CONTACT: Peggy Goodwin, Holiday Magic Organizer, +1-248-414-4533 and
cell +1-248-376-0390, peggygoodwin@goodwinconsulting.us

Web site: http://www.downtownroyaloak.org/

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