News
Clint Eastwood to be Grand Marshal for Carmel-by-the-Sea's Centennial Celebration Parade
Town's Former Mayor to Headline Event on Oct. 29
CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. (July 5, 2016) -- Clint Eastwood, world-acclaimed actor and director, will be the Grand Marshal of Carmel-by-the-Sea's Centennial Celebration Parade, to be held Saturday, Oct. 29. Eastwood, who served as Carmel's mayor in the 1980s and has resided here for many years, will be riding shotgun on top of the Wells Fargo Stagecoach during the parade commemorating the town's 100-year anniversary.
"We are honored that Clint, who is so indelibly identified with Carmel-by-the-Sea and vice-versa, has confirmed to be our Grand Marshal," said Sue McCloud, who sits on the Centennial Committee and, like Eastwood, is a former mayor of Carmel. "We were holding our collective breath because, as everyone knows, he keeps a very busy schedule."
The downtown Centennial Celebration Parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Oct. 29 and, in addition to Eastwood, feature costumed residents, dancers, musicians, dogs, horses, vintage cars and premier floats being built by the same company that constructs floats for Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade. The Wells Fargo Stagecoach will be making its first appearance in a Carmel parade in more than 20 years.
Eastwood, a native of San Francisco, was first introduced to Carmel-by-the-Sea in the 1950s shortly after being stationed at the Fort Ord Army base. He landed his first major acting role on the TV western series "Rawhide," playing the character Rowdy Yates. The show aired from 1959 to 1965.
More than 50 years later, Eastwood's acting and directing work has earned him legendary status in the film industry. His most recent project is as director of "Sully," a film to be released in September documenting Chesley (Sully) Sullenberger's heroic actions as the captain of Flight 1549 that landed in New York's Hudson River. Eastwood's directorial debut was "Play Misty for Me," a 1971 film that was shot in Carmel-by-the-Sea and other Monterey Peninsula locations.
Eastwood's foray into local politics began in January 1986 when he announced he was running for mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea with the slogan, "Bringing the Community Together." Less than three months later, he amassed 72.5 percent of the vote and the town was thrust into the national and international spotlight with their famous new mayor. He served one two-year term before returning to his film career.
