Oscar hits the road for nationwide tour

The first-ever "Oscar Roadtrip" will kick off on Monday, Feb. 4, in New York City and, over the next three weeks, will bring the excitement of the Oscars to numerous cities across the country. Fans along the way will have a chance to hold an actual Oscar statuette before it arrives on the Hollywood red carpet in time for the 85th Academy Awards presentation on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Oscar's journey will be chronicled in videos, photos and blog posts by "Oscar Roadtrip" reporters Ben Gleib and Angie Greenup on OscarRoadtrip.com, @OscarRoadtrip and Facebook.com/TheAcademy. The pair will hit the nation's highways for the 21-day journey to some of Oscar's favorite cities, with a number of stops along the way to be determined by fans via social media. Everyone is invited to follow the progress of the trip, suggest a location for an impromptu Oscar visit, and take a picture holding the coveted statuette.

"We created the 'Oscar Roadtrip' to bring the magic and fun of the Oscar ceremony to movie fans across the country," said Josh Spector, managing director of digital media and marketing for the Academy. "The' Oscar Roadtrip' makes it possible to share the once-in-a-lifetime thrill that only comes from holding an Oscar statuette."

JCPenney, a proud sponsor of the 85th Academy Awards, will ensure the 'Roadtrip' reporters look stylish throughout the tour. The pair will wear looks from jcp partners including Joe Fresh, William Rast and jcp's eponymous line, offering a sneak peek at the stylish and affordable fashion that will be available in jcp stores and on jcp.com this spring.

The "Oscar Roadtrip" is scheduled to visit the following cities on the following dates:

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on "Oscar Sunday," Feb. 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The Oscar presentation will be televised live on the ABC Television Network and in more than 225 countries worldwide.