Hollywood Christmas Parade prep

As is tradition here, the Sunday after Thanksgiving saw the The Hollywood Christmas Parade on Hollywood Boulevard and while not the A-list event it used to be back in the golden age of Tinseltown, it's still a fun event to mark the official start of the Christmas season in Southern California.

I headed out to Fresh & Easy to pick up a few things around 4:30pm yesterday and was greeted by this sight:

Looking east down Hollywood Boulevard.  

Notice the traffic backup.

I don't remember the parade having balloons in the past, but then again it's been a few years since I've actually attended the parade.

A little further down the street I noticed a rather concerned looking toy soldier peeking over a strip mall:

This balloon appeared to be throwing a temper tantrum:

Turns out he was just getting gassed up:

Balloon Alley.

Oscar the Grouch and a flying Elmo were also in attendance:

I used to work in that building.

In addition to the usual marching bands and celebrity guests, the parade also featured young dancers representing different cultures.  They were waiting patiently for the parade to begin.

Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful Christmas season for everyone!