The Santa Barbara Downtown Organization is pleased to announce that acclaimed actor, writer and producer Michael Imperioli will serve as this year’s Celebrity Grand Marshal for the 61st Annual Downtown Holiday Parade. On December 6th at 6:30pm, the much anticipated parade will make its way down State Street amidst magnificent marching bands, fabulous floats and spectacular performance groups.

Presiding over the 2013 parade, Santa Barbara resident Michael Imperioli has established a successful career in both television and film. “I’m very proud to be honored by this great community that I love so much,” Imperioli stated. He recently completed production on the seventh season of the hit Showtime comedy, Californication. Recent film credits include Spike Lee’s American remake of the Korean cult classic Oldboy, opposite Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson, and Elizabeth Olsen; sci-fi thriller The Scribbler; and horror film Foreclosure. On television, he recently starred as the elusive yet tough-as-nails Detective Louis Fitch on ABC’s police drama Detroit 1-8-7.

Best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on the acclaimed series The Sopranos, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Emmy® Award, Imperioli has five Emmy nominations, as well as numerous Golden Globe and SAG nominations. He also had a star turn on the right side of the law as a detective in the acclaimed NBC series Law & Order.

Imperioli’s wife of 18 years, Victoria Imperioli, owns Metropolitan (1226 State), a gifts and home furnishings store in downtown Santa Barbara. Since opening one year ago, Metropolitan has participated in 1st Thursday, Shop Spree SB and the Downtown Safe Trick or Treat programs.

Imperioli first came to the public’s attention as Spider in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. In his more than 30 film roles, he has worked with such acclaimed directors as Spike Lee on Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Clockers, Girl 6 and Summer of Sam; the Hughes Brothers on Dead Presidents and Henry Jaglom on the soon to be released The M Word. In December 2009, he starred in Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones, based on the bestselling book, opposite Rachel Weiz and Mark Wahlberg.

The Holiday Parade, under this year’s theme “Holidays in Paradise,” will also feature the Holiday Prince and Fairy riding in a horse drawn carriage and lighting the huge Downtown Holiday Tree. Santa Claus, the most anticipated appearance of the season, will conclude the festivities.

The parade is FREE and begins at 6:30pm on State at Sola Street and concludes at Cota Street. For more information, contact the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization at (805) 962-2098 ext. 22 or visit www.santabarbaradowntown.com.

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