A Claus for Celebration, THE 111TH ANNUAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE Broadcast Returns Nov. 15 on CTV

– Multi-platinum, award-winning singer and song-writer Jann Arden performs a holiday classic from her new Christmas album, A Jann Arden Christmas –
– Nick Jonas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes and more provide holiday greetings throughout the broadcast –
– Sharing their favourite holiday tunes below, CTV Toronto's Ken Shaw and THE SOCIAL's Melissa Grelo return as hosts with E!'s Chloe Wilde as parade reporter–
– Visit CTV.ca/Santa  for the latest parade news –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1Np1ZYG 

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's cherished century-old holiday tradition returns with the exclusive broadcast of THE 111TH ANNUAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:30 ET/PT on CTV, and 5:30 p.m. AT on CTV Atlantic. For the sixth straight year, CTV is the exclusive broadcast partner of the annual event and longest-running children's parade in the world, featuring all-new floats, a performance by Jann Arden, and special celebrity cameos. Returning this year to anchor the 90-minute broadcast on an all-new cozy winter cabin set are CTV Toronto's Ken Shaw, and THE SOCIAL's Melissa Grelo. Joining the festive fun for the first time this year is E!'s Chloe Wilde as the broadcast's roving parade reporter.

"We are thrilled to have Canadian icon Jann Arden as our first-ever performer at the Santa Claus Parade," said John Kampilis, Supervising Producer, In-House Productions, Bell Media. "Her joyful personality will add to the holiday spirit of the show, engaging viewers and fans from across the country, and ensuring the broadcast kicks off the holiday season in entertaining style."

This year, the biggest spectacle of the holiday season will feature some of the biggest stars in entertainment to help spread the season's cheer. Multi-platinum, award-winning singer and songwriter Jann Arden joins the CTV broadcast set to perform a holiday song from her new Christmas album, A Jann Arden Christmas, direct from the parade route. Meanwhile, viewers will unwrap exclusive yuletide greetings from entertainers including Nick Jonas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Carrie Underwood, Nina Dobrev, Chris Hadfield, Barenaked Ladies, and more. Click HERE for embeddable link of an exclusive holiday message from singer-songwriter and multi-platinum recording artist Shawn Mendes.

Adding to the spectacular lineup of floats, THE 111TH ANNUAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE debuts several newly designed floats, including the 2015 American League East division champions Toronto Blue Jays, the upcoming Disney-Pixar motion picture The Good Dinosaur, childhood favourite Thomas the Tank Engine, and Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Three floats from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment also return this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, and the Toronto FC taking part in the celebration. The broadcast will also ring in the holiday season with season's greetings from families across the country, children reading letters to Santa, hundreds of performers, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.

In addition to on-air coverage, CTV has brought back the parade-day essential website CTV.ca/Santa, where visitors can find a printable map of the parade route, enjoy fun activities for kids like Santa's Letter Scramble, download a holiday colouring book, and play a trivia game on Santa Claus Parade facts. Plus catch up on the latest news for THE 111TH ANNUAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE. Viewers will also be able to track Santa's location along the parade route in the SantaParade app available for free download on CTV.ca. The app also turns any iPhone into ringing sleigh bells when it's shaken, allowing viewers to ring out proud as Santa and all of his floats go by.

Full of holiday spirit, CTV asked this year's hosts which holiday song tops their list and why:

Ken Shaw: "That's an easy one …Bing Crosby's White Christmas.  There's a reason it is the best-selling single of all time. It is so closely tied to the movie that you can't help but feel good."

Melissa Grelo: "The one that gets me most excited and puts me in the spirit is Nat King Cole's version of The Christmas Song, also known as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. Nothing says the holidays for my family like this song playing in the background at the farmhouse while we're cooking and setting up the table to get ready for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. I can smell the sweet potato mash, turkey in the oven and the apple pie baking!"

Chloe Wilde: "My top two holiday songs are Bing Crosby's White Christmas and the classic, Jingle Bells. These songs will always remind me of my Mammie. She was a beautiful and talented cabaret dancer, and my fondest Christmas memories are of her reminiscing about her dancing days around the fireplace and singing as she moved gracefully around the house."

About The Santa Claus Parade
The Santa Claus Parade is the largest parade in Canada and the most popular holiday parade of its kind in the world. More information on the Parade, can be found at CTV.ca/Santa.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 14 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@TOSanta – Official Parade Twitter account
@KenShawCTV – Ken Shaw
@melissagrelo – Melissa Grelo
@TheChloeWilde – Chloe Wilde

Facebook:
facebook.com/ctv
facebook.com/TOSantaParade

Instagram:
@tosantaparade

SOURCE CTV

Image with caption: "Artist rendering of CTV’s new broadcast set for THE 111TH ANNUAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE by Andrew Kinsella (On Set Design) (CNW Group/CTV)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151103_C7590_PHOTO_EN_535788.jpg

please contact: Ama Sechere, CTV Networks, 416.384.2066 or [email protected]; Tonia Addison, CTV Networks, 416.384.2194 or [email protected]