Santa Wants a Chauffeur

Anybody want to sponsor a parade?

Consider the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The 57-year-old parade--which takes place the Sunday after each Thanksgiving--is on the prowl for its first corporate sponsor.

In fact, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has hired the same company that dug up sponsors for the Los Angeles Marathon--Janklow & Associates--to find Hollywood Christmas Parade sponsors. For an undisclosed price, the chamber says, it is even willing to share the parade’s top billing with a big corporate sponsor or two.

Although the parade is not in financial trouble, it is trying to upgrade its image, said Bill Welsh, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. For example, he said, parade officials think that if they supply free limousine service to each of the celebrities, they could attract bigger-name stars. “Right now,” said Welsh, “they have to come in their own cars.”