One-Tank Trip for
Oct. 31/15
(c) By Jim Fox
With less than two
months until Christmas, the jolly gent in the big red suit will soon be making
the rounds at parades in his honour.
Off he will go with
a hearty “ho, ho, ho” on tour to cities and towns across Ontario and beyond to
the delight of thousands of children.
November is the
busiest month for his public appearances combined with the launch of Christmas
tree lighting ceremonies and festivals of lights.
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| Ho, ho, ho and off we go as Santa reigns in his Toronto parade. (Ontario Tourism - Daniel Taub) |
The granddaddy of
Santa Claus parades is Toronto’s now in its 111th year and happens on Nov.
15 and runs for three hours.
It is said
to be the longest running children’s parade in the world and is telecast
internationally each year.
It was
first held on Dec. 2, 1905 with just a single float and created by
Eaton’s department store chain.
Fittingly, the
then-Saturday morning parade ended outside Eaton’s and Santa would climb a
ladder to a rooftop and in a window to the store’s Toyland.
In some early
years, he would arrive by a specially decorated train locomotive at Union
Station and in 1919 arrived by air, touching down at the Aerodrome on Eglinton
Avenue.
In 1913, Eaton’s
arranged for Santa’s float to be pulled by live reindeer brought in from
Labrador.
These days, the
parade is funded by various corporate sponsors and attracts half-a-million
people along the 5.6-kilometre route.
It’s held on
Sundays now, starting at 12:30 p.m. at Christie Pits along Bloor Street West,
then travels south on Avenue Road/Queen’s Park Crescent/University Avenue to
Front Street West, and east along Front to the St. Lawrence Market.
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| The Eaton’s Santa Claus parade makes its way through Toronto streets in 1930. |
It has grown to
include some 25 animated floats with themes ranging from Harry Potter to Hockey Night
in Canada.
There are
more than 200 celebrity clowns leading the parade accompanied by 2,000 costumed
participants and 24 bands. thesantaclausparade.com
Also in the Greater
Toronto Area is the Brampton Santa Claus parade on Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. “under the
stars” for an extra twinkle. bramptonsantaclausparade.com
The Mississauga
parade takes over the historic village of Streetsville on Nov. 29 starting at 1
p.m. mississaugasanta.com
Oakville gets into
the spirit on Nov. 21 at 9 a.m. in the downtown for its “Christmas in Motion”
parade. oakvillesantaclausparade.ca
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| The elaborate holiday windows at the Hudson’s Bay store draw a crowd. (Jim Fox photo) |
Taking a page from
Eaton’s with its iconic holiday window displays is the current occupant of the
building, the flagship store of Hudson’s Bay at Queen and Bay streets.
Its windows rival
Macy’s in New York with functioning train sets, mechanical mice and moving
Santas.
Also notable are
the seven holiday windows of the flagship upscale Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street.
I love a parade
Among the other
upcoming Santa parades is Downtown Chatham’s on Nov. 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. on King Street West.
 |
| Santa waves to the crowds greeting him at parades around Ontario. (Ontario Tourism) |
They’re kicking off
the “holiday season” in Bayfield from Nov. 13 to 15 with the Lighting of the
Trees on the Friday at 7 p.m. and Santa’s parade on the Saturday at 11 a.m.
The Niagara Falls
Santa Claus Parade is on Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with 2,500
participants and a meet and greet with St. Nick outside city hall on Queen
Street after the march.
Owen Sound’s 70th
annual parade is on Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. in the downtown “celebrating music” in
this year’s theme of Canadian Christmas.
Santa keeps busy in
Orangeville with his parade on Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Hanson
Boulevard to the Rotary Park parking lot on Second Street.
Look for London’s
parade on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. and parades in Kingsville on Nov. 21, 6:30 p.m.; Amherstburg,
Nov. 29, 6 p.m.; Windsor, Dec. 5, 6 p.m.; and Essex, Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m.
The Goderich parade
at Lions Harbour Park and around town is on Nov. 22 at 6:15 p.m.
Other parades are
on Nov. 14 in Sudbury at 5:30 p.m.; Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. in Cobourg; and Nov. 21
at 6:30 p.m. in Bradford.
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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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