Lorna Luft, New York Times best-selling author, singer, actress and Palm Springs resident, will lead the festivities along Palm Canyon Drive as this year’s Celebrity Grand Marshal for the 26th Annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade.

The Festival of Lights Parade is the City’s signature holiday event, which every year brings more than 100,000 residents and visitors to downtown on the first Saturday in December. The parade celebrates the beginning of the holiday season in the Coachella Valley.

Luft, the daughter of legendary entertainer Judy Garland,  may be best known for her performances in the hit film “Grease 2” and the television drama “Extremities” with Farrah Fawcett.

She has also performed on Broadway. Luft is the author of two
best-selling books: “Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir” and her latest with coauthor Jeffrey Vance, “A Star is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away.”

Joining Luft in this year’s parade is famed Palm Springs modernist architect Hugh Kaptur along with Gino Lamont, news anchor for NBC Palm Springs, who will serve as Community Grand Marshals.

Garfield the Cat will also make an appearance, serving as the parade’s Children’s Grand Marshal.

With Luft at the helm, the holiday lights spectacular kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 5:45 p.m. on Palm Canyon Drive at Ramon Road — and heads north concluding at Tamarisk. Once again, the parade will be broadcast live on NBC Palm Springs.

Coverage begins at 6 p.m. featuring Luft, Garfield, twinkling floats, marching bands, huge Macy’s-style holiday balloons and Santa Claus. The parade is a much loved holiday tradition that is not to be missed.

“The Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade has become one of Southern
California’s most beloved holiday events and an important part of the magic that makes our destination, like no place else,” Mary Jo Ginther, director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, said in a prepared statement. “Bring the whole family and join us in downtown for what is sure to be a night to remember.”

For more information, visit www.psfestivaloflightsparade.com.