The 500 Festival announced today that Josh Kaufman, the winner of Season 6 of “The Voice”, has been named Grand Marshal of the 2014 IPL 500 Festival Parade. As previously announced, Jim Nabors is an Honorary Grand Marshal for the event.  The 57^th IPL 500 Festival Parade is Saturday, May 24 and will celebrate the 2014 500 Festival theme: Feel the Rhythm of May.

Additionally, Josh has agreed to perform at the KeyBank 500 Festival Snakepit Ball. The best known party the night before the Indianapolis 500 will also feature another surprise appearance with an Indiana connection as Straight No Chaser, an a cappella group which originated at Indiana University, will also perform.

Josh Kaufman is a singer and songwriter from Indianapolis, Ind. Kaufman was selected as one of the top 48 contestants in Season 6 of “The Voice.” Just this past Tuesday night, Josh was crowned the winner of season 6. He defeated fellow contestants Jake Worthington and Christina Grimmie on the finale to take home the title. He was on Team Usher and sang Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” as his final song of the season. As the winner, Josh received $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group.

“We have been tracking Josh’s progress on “The Voice” since the first round and we’re glad to have him involved in the festivities of the 500 Festival and the Indianapolis 500,” “said Bob Bryant President & CEO, 500 Festival. “He has already been such a great ambassador for Indiana and with his well-deserved win he is poised to represent Hoosiers on the grandest of scale.  We are honored to celebrate this great moment and recognize the talents of Josh Kaufman by inviting him to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2014 IPL 500 Festival Parade where he will be a great complement to our Honorary Grand Marshal, Jim Nabors and a fantastic lineup of dignitaries and celebrities.”

More than 300,000 spectators are expected to line the two-mile parade route to see the 33 starting drivers of the 2014 Indianapolis 500^®, more than 70 specialty units, floats, marching bands and giant inflatable balloons.

This year’s parade is a true representation of the power and pageantry of the month of May with a television package that will bolster the Parade’s national presence, airing on May 24 at 5 p.m. on NBC Sports Network and 8 p.m. locally on WISH-TV. Tickets to the IPL 500 Festival Parade are available at the 500 Festival Ticket Office weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased by calling (317) 614-6400.  Reserved bleacher seats start at just $14.50 and reserved chair seats are $19.  For more information, visit www.500festival.com.

The 500 Festival, a not-for-profit volunteer organization, was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the greatest race in the world. Over the past 57 years, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation. The mission of the 500 Festival is to produce life-enriching events and programs while celebrating the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500^® and fostering positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana.