Liz Simmons: Photo by Andrew Williams
Liz Simmons is the undisputed queen of the holidays in her Hollywood/Santa Monica neighborhood. From her over-the-top Christmas displays to her spooky Halloween haunts, she does not shy away from showing the full spirit of the season, albeit in her own way.
Take the annual Newellian Easter Parade, with its taxidermy animal floats, zombie bunnies, Elvis impersonators and so many other whimsical and weird wonders. “It has always been a dream of mine to have a parade of snakes, especially a 20-foot Burmese being carried by four or five people in bunny or chicken suits. I don’t know why, it just makes me happy,” Simmons told us in 2015, when we profiled the unusual event.
Country music legend Kinky Friedman has served as grand marshal of the affair, showing the magnetic power of this unusual event. Simmons says they are still looking for floats to join this Sunday’s parade, which steps off at 3 p.m., traveling down Newell Avenue from Lindsley to Santa Fe. Everyone is invited to come down as a spectator or participant, and enjoy the weird.
