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The Parade Company Announces Emagine Entertainment as New Presenting Sponsor for the Distinguished Clown Corps®
September 26, 2022

Grand Jester’s Reception Hosted by The Parade Company on Sept. 27 at the Detroit Athletic Club

 

DETROIT (September 26, 2022) – The Parade Company is thrilled to announce Emagine Entertainment as the new presenting sponsor of the Distinguished Clown Corps® (DCC), bringing a special magic to this iconic group of 200 business and community leaders who march in America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Gardner White. The Parade Company’s annual Grand Jester’s Reception to celebrate the Distinguished Clown Corps® presented by Emagine Entertainment is on Tuesday, September 27 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Detroit Athletic Club. ***PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC EVENT***

 

“We are excited to welcome Emagine Entertainment to The Parade Company family,” said Tony Michaels, President & CEO, The Parade Company. “This amazing Michigan-based company is the perfect partner to bring magic to our Distinguished Clown Corps and we look forward to a very special partnership.”

 

“We are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful tradition in the city of Detroit. Community is very important to us and we know how important this event is to our entire community,” said Paul Glantz, Co-Founder and Chairman of Emagine Entertainment. “Partnering with The Parade Company and the Distinguished Clown Corps is an exciting moment for our organization. We look forward to enjoying this cherished event with our Emagine teammates and guests,” added Anthony LaVerde, CEO of Emagine Entertainment.

 

This year’s event is hosted by 2022 Distinguished Grand Jester, Longine Morawski. Longine is a 28-year DCC who clowns with his son and daughter, and his brother, Lawrence (25-year DCC) and nephew. Morawski will have the honor of leading the group down the parade route for the 96th America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Gardner White.

 

The DCC began in 1983 with business leaders Tom Adams, then the chief of Campbell-Ewald advertising and Walter McCarthy, then chief of Detroit Edison, who served as the spark in creating a way for the leadership to become personally involved in helping The Parade Company. With over 200 members, the DCC is one of the parade’s most beloved traditions.

 

DCC Committee Members include Maggie Allesee, Eric Borman, Van Conway, Rick DiBartolomeo, Grenae Dudley-White, Pat Fenton, Joe Fleck, Austin Kanter, John Landis Eric Larson, David Markiewicz, Luther “Skip” Rosemond, Syd Ross, Peter Schweitzer, Rebecca Sorensen and Bill White.

 

DCC annual membership is $1,000 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation. For nominations, contact CarolAnn Barbb at [email protected].

 

*Interviews available with Tony Michaels, President and CEO of the Parade Company, Emagine Entertainment, and members of the DCC. Media attending the DCC Reception should RSVP in advance to Sara Campbell [email protected]

 

About The Parade Company

Founded in 1984, The Parade Company is a not-for-profit organization governed by the Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation whose board of directors is composed of key civic and corporate leaders in the greater Detroit region. The Parade Company is celebrating 96 years of Parade tradition in Detroit and is committed to funding, creating and executing the best family events in Michigan. The Parade Company staff, board of

directors and thousands of parade volunteers work year-round to bring a wide variety of magnificent events to the City of Detroit and the region including the Ford Fireworks, Strategic Staffing Solutions Turkey Trot, and

America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White. Follow The Parade Company on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

 

About Emagine Entertainment 

Emagine Entertainment’s affiliates own and operate luxury theaters in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Emagine operates theaters with a combined 30,068 seats and 342 screens.  Emagine led the way in bringing luxury theaters to the metropolitan Detroit market. Emagine enjoys the honor and distinction of being named “Best Movie Theater” for several years running by the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit News, and WDIV-TV Local 4. Emagine has been named “Best Theater to See a First-Run Movie” by Hour Detroit Magazine consecutively for the past 9 years.

 

Emagine is a recognized innovator in the theatrical exhibition industry having been the first theater chain in the world to convert to 100% digital projection. In 1997, Cinema Hollywood (now Emagine Birch Run) was the first theater in Michigan to open with all stadium seating. Emagine was the first to introduce 4K projection to the Detroit market, and it boasted 3 of the first 100 Dolby Atmos® immersive sound systems deployed worldwide. On December 15, 2017, Emagine began operating the largest movie screen in the State of Michigan with the opening of its Super EMAX auditorium (featuring laser projection technology) at its megaplex in Novi, Michigan; and on December 19, 2019, Emagine opened the largest CinemaScope screen in the Midwest at its Emagine Canton/Westland location.  Paul Glantz, Chairman of Emagine Entertainment, has been interviewed on CNN concerning his views and opinions on the operation of luxury theaters. On February 28, 2018, Emagine Entertainment, Inc., and 7-time BET Award-winning and Grammy® nominated superstar Big Sean (Sean Anderson) announced their joint venture agreement to develop, Sean Anderson Theatre, powered by Emagine, a world-class cinematic and live music entertainment center in Detroit (and potentially at other sites around the U.S.). The new partnership is actively scouting prospective sites in Detroit.