Officials from Piedmont Natural Gas and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, joined by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, announced today that retired Nashville Predators Captain Mike Fisher will serve as Grand Marshal for this year’s 64th annual Piedmont Natural Gas Nashville Christmas Parade presented by Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. Children’s Hospital will again benefit from some of the proceeds from the parade.
“We are thrilled to again partner with the Piedmont Natural Gas Nashville Christmas Parade this holiday season. This event has brought joy to children and their families for decades and now touches even more lives by benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt,” said the hospital’s CEO, Luke Gregory. “Community partners like Piedmont and Tootsie’s enable our hospital to provide world-class services for children from across Tennessee and around the country. We are grateful to Piedmont, Tootsie’s and all the parade’s other sponsors for their support, which helps further our mission as a place of hope and healing. We are also excited that Mike Fisher will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal. He is a great friend to Children’s Hospital and a true champion for our patients.”
The parade kicks off the holiday season in downtown Nashville on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 8:30 a.m.
“It is a tremendous honor to be asked to serve as Grand Marshal for such an iconic Nashville event like the Christmas Parade,” Fisher said. “To be able to also raise funds and awareness for such a special place like Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt makes it all the more fulfilling. I’m excited about the opportunity and can’t wait until Dec. 2.”
Fisher led the Predators last season to the Western Conference Championship and within two games of capturing the 2017 Stanley Cup and the National Hockey League crown.
“The parade is a great way to start the holiday season, and having Mike Fisher, one of our hometown heroes, as the Grand Marshal will only add to the excitement,” said Stephen Francescon, community relations manager for Piedmont Natural Gas. “Parade organizers are working hard to make this event the best one yet, and Piedmont Natural Gas is excited to help carry on this community tradition.”
This year’s parade will feature a new route. Participants will start at the intersection of First Avenue and the Woodland Street Bridge, proceed south on First Avenue to Broadway and end on Eighth Avenue.
The parade will be televised live by NEWS 2, WKRN-TV. The 2017 parade theme is “The Musical Mile at the Holidays!”
Again this year, a portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Children’s Hospital along with the Piedmont Natural Gas Share the Warmth program, Piedmont’s energy assistance program that helps local low-income families pay their energy bills at any point during the year, regardless of their energy source.
The parade is being produced this year by Tennessee Holiday Productions. Executive producers are John M. Best, Pamela Bolling and Julie Stadler.
To stay up to date on parade happenings and announcements, visit the Nashville Christmas Parade Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nashvillechristmasparade.
Additional information on how to participate in this year’s parade also is available at www.nashvillechristmasparade.com.
