Ryan Lochte To Headline 2008 Parade; ABC Stars Harrison, Hemmis To Host

The Spherion Orlando Citrus Parade presented by Delta Air Lines has secured Chris Harrison and Paige Hemmis as co-hosts for this year�s parade on December 30.  Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Lochte has been named Grand Marshal and Ashley Eckstein will serve as the parade�s on-street commentator.

Harrison will be returning for his third year as parade co-host.  Harrison currently hosts ABC�s romantic reality television series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette as well as HGTV�s design show Designer�s Challenge. 

Hemmis currently performs as carpenter/designer of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and is an active spokesperson for Habitat for Humanity.

Ryan Lochte won a gold medal and broke the world record in the 200m backstroke at the 2008 Summer Olympics.  He is a native of Port Orange, Fla., graduated from the University of Florida and currently lives and trains in Gainesville. 

Eckstein has performed as the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and is known for her role on Blue Collar TV as well as Disney sitcoms, That�s So Raven, Phil of the Future, and Drake and Josh.  She is married to Sanford native and University of Florida graduate David Eckstein, 2006 World Series MVP of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Additional parade talent will include Grammy Award Winner Scott Stapp and reigning Mrs. Florida America, Jacklyn Stapp.  Scott Stapp will be performing the National Anthem and both performers will interview with the on-street commentator before riding in the parade. 

This year�s parade will take place on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Grandstands will be located at Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando and this location will also be the site of the parade�s television broadcast.