The 3rd Annual Branson Holiday Promenade of Stars was the biggest and best yet and attracted over 25 thousand people along the 1.4 mile route along Hwy 76. A sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70′s made for perfect conditions to produce a television special of the event scheduled to air throughout the holidays both locally in the Branson/Springfield markets, but also nationally via RFD-TV and Retro-TV.

Branson Webcast Hosts and stars of the Hamner Barber Variety Show, Dave Hamner and Jim Barber really enjoyed being part of the parade, and pulled off a great magic illusion of being able to fit into Pam Critchfield’s tiny convertible Porsche while driving and waving to the crowd.

Jim Barber & Seville - Dave Hamner driving | Photo by Jeremy Mason McGraw

More Photos of the Parade & Behind the Scenes by Jeremy Mason McGraw

Jim Barber and Dave Hamner driving in Holiday Promenade of Stars | Photo by Greta Busch

Ventriloquist Jim Barber took his turn at the live performance stage in front of the Titanic Museum, as he sang along with his sidekick Seville to their rendition of the “12 Days of Branson.”

Jim Barber & Seville sing Twelve Days of Branson | Photo by Michael London

Music legend Andy Williams served as Grand Marshall for the Event and also rode the entire Parade route in Grand Style.

Andy Williams - Parade Grand Marshall | Photo by Craig Burnett

The live entertainment portions featured brief performances by many Branson entertainers who sang to the cheering crowd that gathered around the production stage in front of the Titanic – World’s Largest Museum Attraction.

Jim Barber & Seville sing on the Parade Stage | Photo by Craig Burnett

Andy Williams sings on Parade Stage | Photo by Craig Burnett

The television broadcast schedule of the Holiday Promenade of Stars is for Thanksgiving and Christmas day to an estimated 102 million plus households across the nation. In the Springfield/Branson area the parade special will be televised on KSFX Ozarks FOX. In Branson on The Vacation Channel it will be aired six times: Thanksgiving Day at 8 a.m., Nov. 27 at 8 p.m., Nov. 28 at 8 p.m., Nov. 29 at 8 a.m., Nov. 30 at 8 p.m., and Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. National broadcasts are on RFD-TV and Retro Television Network. RFD-TV is carried on several satellite and cable providers including over 625 independent cable operators to 42 million households and Retro Television Network is seen in 17 of the top 25 markets to more than 60 million households on nearly 100 stations in cities such as Pittsburg, Atlanta, Seattle, Orlando, St. Louis and Boston, according to Nielsen ratings.

Produced by Midwest Concerts & Events, LLC, the Holiday Promenade of Stars promises to be a highlight of Ozark Mountain Christmas for many years to come.

For more information: HolidayPromenadeOfStars.com, Midwest Concerts & Events

Related article: Hamner Barber Featured in Holiday Promenade of Stars

Related interview: Gary Bartlett | Producer of the Promenade of Stars Event

Branson’s Third Annual Holiday Promenade of Stars will roll down Branson’s Highway 76 Strip on Saturday, November 7th beginning at 10:30 a.m. BransonWebcast.com Hosts Dave Hamner and Jim Barber will be among the many Branson celebrities featured in the parade.

Entertainment legend Andy Williams is serving as Grand Marshall and singers Jimmy Osmond and Debbie Boone are serving as Hosts for the television special being made during the 1.4 mile-long parade that ushers in the Christmas season in the Live Music Show Capital of the World. The parade route begins at White Water and ends at the Grand Village Shops.

Along with Williams, Osmond and Boone, will be country music artist Neal McCoy, the Lennon Sisters & Brothers, Tony Orlando and Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan.

Also performing on the television stage are Clay Cooper, Johnny Lonestar, Penny Gilley, Jeff Brandt, the Haygoods, Todd Oliver & Irving, and Jim Barber & Seville from the Hamner Barber Variety Show. Also featured are the Knudsen Brothers, also known as SIX; Showstoppers! from the Showboat Branson Belle; the “Spirit of Christmas” dancers; and the cast of “A Dickens’ Christmas Carol” from Silver Dollar City. The Baldknobbers, Blues Brothers from “Legends in Concert,” and the Branson High School Cheerleaders are also scheduled for stage appearances.

The television broadcast schedule is for Thanksgiving and Christmas day to an estimated 102 million plus households across the nation. In the Springfield/Branson area the parade special will be televised on KSFX Ozarks FOX. In Branson on The Vacation Channel it will be aired six times: Thanksgiving Day at 8 a.m., Nov. 27 at 8 p.m., Nov. 28 at 8 p.m., Nov. 29 at 8 a.m., Nov. 30 at 8 p.m., and Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. National broadcasts are on RFD-TV and Retro Television Network. RFD-TV is carried on several satellite and cable providers including over 625 independent cable operators to 42 million households and Retro Television Network is seen in 17 of the top 25 markets to more than 60 million households on nearly 100 stations in cities such as Pittsburg, Atlanta, Seattle, Orlando, St. Louis and Boston, according to Nielsen ratings.

Produced by Midwest Concerts & Events, LLC, the Holiday Promenade of Stars promises to be a highlight of the many Ozark Mountain Christmas events planned this November and December.

For more information: HolidayPromenadeOfStars.com, Midwest Concerts & Events

Meet the newest members of the flock at the Hamner Barber Theater in Branson!

This inquisitive pair of baby Greenwing Macaws were hatched about 7 weeks ago as part of a licensed domestic breeding program arranged by BransonWebcast.com co-host Dave Hamner and his wife Denise under the direction of Linda Hughes of Rainbow Realm Aviaries in Rhome, TX.  “Linda is one of the best parrot breeders we have ever worked with,” said Dave Hamner.  “We can’t say enough nice things about her facility in Texas.”

As these colorful birds fill out their plumage and grow to full size, they will become highly intelligent and perhaps they will even make an appearance on stage at the Hamner Barber Theater and fly high above the heads of the audience as their parents did before retiring to the breeding program.

A Few Feathered Facts

Greenwings are considered the smartest breed of the large macaws, with an ability to learn things quickly. They are the second largest in size next to the Hyacinth Macaw. Interactive socially with both people and parrots, the Greenwing macaw often possesses a sweet nature. With a life expectancy of 60-80 years or more, they can make excellent life-long companions, but raising a parrot as a pet is not for everyone. Parrots don’t provide unconditional love and a caretaker needs extreme patience and skill to earn a bird’s respect. These birds also require a great deal of physical and mental stimulation, as they are famous for their mischevious nature and need to chew and destroy. A healthy and proper diet is essential, and over a lifetime, raising a parrot (let alone an entire flock) can be extremely expensive.

Help Name The New Babies

The Hamners have devoted the greater part of their lives caring for over two-dozen of these wonderful winged creatures. They truly think of them more as children than they do as pets. With the arrival of these new babies, we thought it would be fun to give our online friends an opportunity to come up with the names that these two Macaws will carry for the rest of their lives. It’s an important assignment, and one not to be taken lightly. Here’s how you can participate…

Enter Today for Your Chance To Win

Send us an email and include only one name for each bird. One is a male, and the other is female. Be creative with your selection and you’ll have a chance to not only claim the title of “Bird Namer to the Stars,” but you’ll also win a fabulous prize package from the Hamner Barber Theater valued at over $100.00 that includes Hamner Barber DVD’s, Magic Tricks, Puppets, Show Tickets and more suprises!

Submit your entry no later than 11:00pm on Friday, August 28, 2009.

The entire staff, cast and crew of the Hamner Barber Variety Show will be given a list of each entry and asked to select their favorite. The entry with the most votes is the winner. Should no entry recieve more than one vote, the Hamners themselves will then determine the winner.

The winner will be announced on the Hamner Barber website on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

Put your thinking caps on, and send us your names today. Be sure to include your name and shipping address so we can mail your prize package should you be the winner. You may also post comments to this article below, but only name submissions sent via email will be considered for the contest.

Thank you for participating in this feathered fun!