Arts & Entertainment

Buzz Aldrin to Serve as Grand Marshal 82nd Hollywood Christmas Parade

Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon after his crew mate, the late Neil Armstrong, during the lunar landing of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, will serve as Grand Marshal of the 82nd Hollywood Christmas Parade, which benefits the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, it was announced Friday.

"I am extremely honored to serve as Grand Marshal...," the 83-year-old Aldrin said in a statement, calling the parade "a treasured American tradition for all of us who are young at heart.

"Come celebrate the holidays with me on the festive streets of Hollywood on December 1st as we moonwalk down the parade route together."

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The parade steps off at 6 p.m. A pre-show begins at 5 p.m.

Reserved-seating grandstand tickets are available for $45, $65 and $85. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 25 or more.

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Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon after his crew mate, the late Neil Armstrong, during the lunar landing of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

The role the Montclair, New Jersey, native played in the mission led to him being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Aldrin earned a B.S. degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and then joined the Air Force, flying F86 Sabre jets during the Korean War. He shot down two MiG-5s in the course of 66 combat missions.

In 1963, Aldrin earned a Doctorate of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and that same year was selected into the third group of astronauts. He performed the first successful spacewalk on the Gemini 12 orbital mission in 1966.

An author of eight books, Aldrin -- along with Apollo 11 crew mates Armstrong and Michael Collins -- was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins have a star on each corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine street along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Television personalities Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie will serve as broadcast hosts of the parade, which will air on KTLA.

More information about the parade is available at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org.


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