Music legend Joey Fatone is our Grand Marshall

Music legend Joey Fatone, who soared to fame as a member of the world-famed boy-band *NSYNC, will be the celebrity grand marshal of First Ever 15th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Hot Springs March 17, 2018.

He will round out a quartet of celebrities who will be part of the quirky parade, which annually draws throngs to world-famous Bridge Street, the shortest street in the world in everyday use — 98 feet long.

Jon Heder, who became famous as Napoleon Dynamite, will be the parade’s official starter. Morris Day and the Time will perform a free concert at the conclusion of the parade and Grand Funk Railroad will perform a free concert on Friday night, March 16, at the Bridge Street intersection with Broadway.

Fatone first rose to fame as a member of *NSYNC, but he has gone on to become a global pop icon. Over the last decade Fatone has gone on to find success as an actor, host, Broadway star, voiceover artist, dancer, media personality and his recent opening of his own restaurant, Fat★One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice.

Born Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr., Fatone grew up in Brooklyn in a family of performers. His father, Joe Sr., sang in the Brooklyn doo-wop group, the Orions. Joey Fatone followed in his footsteps and began performing at a young age. His first acting gig at came at age 7, when he starred with Robert DeNiro in the feature film ​Once Upon a Time in America​.

When Fatone was 17, he got a job at Universal Studios in the Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue.

While there, he met another theme park performer, Chris Kirkpatrick, which led to his joining the group *NSYNC. Before long, *NSYNC was the hottest act in Europe, the U.S. and beyond, with millions of fans around the world. They quickly became one of the most iconic pop groups in history.

In 1998, *NSYNC released their self-titled debut album. The album went on to sell over 10 million copies, and they won an American Music Award for favorite new artist (pop/rock). In

1999, the band signed a new record deal with Jive records. Their album ​No Strings Attached​ sold 1 million copies in its first day of sales and 2.4 million for the first week (a record that still stands).

Fatone has since become a prominent performer and personality in his own right, with projects spanning television, film, and theater. From cooking shows to cartoons to talent competitions, Fatone has become a presence across major TV networks. He hosted the popular, long-running show “My Family Recipe Rocks!” on the Live Well Network, which highlights the stories of homegrown cooks and their homemade specialties from around the country. Fatone also hosted the cooking competition show, “Rewrapped” on the Food Network.

Many viewers will also recognize Fatone for his work hosting (and competing in) hit reality TV talent competitions. Fatone had a very successful stint competing on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and served as host of NBC’s international hit series “The Singing Bee.” He also hosted NBC’s cirque competition series, “Celebrity Circus.” He earned his first producer credit for the cable television series “The Singing Office” on TLC, which he also co-hosted alongside Melanie Brown.

In addition to hosting, Fatone has earned accolades for his acting. Fatone has become a favorite on the big screen, with roles in movies including ​On the Line​ and ​My Big Fat Greek​ ​Wedding and​ My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2​. Fatone’s other film credits include ​The Cooler,​ alongside Alec Baldwin and William H. Macy, ​Homie Spumoni​ with Whoopi Goldberg, Donald Faison and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

Most recently, Fatone has continued to make his mark as a foodie. He brought his own culinary vision to life opening Fat★One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice in Orlando. Fatone plans to expand with locations around the country and make Fat One Foods, his line of prepackaged products, a household name.