Christmas Parade - Information

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General Information

• Please, no other Santa or Mrs. Claus entries in the parade. The Santa Claus Float and Santa himself will be provided.
• Parade time is 10:00 a.m. sharp, departing from the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Beverly Street, traveling south along Memorial Avenue, concluding at the C.L.E. Grounds.
• Each entry must be decorated with a seasonal theme. Entries not decorated will not be allowed to participate.
• Floats with animals - please remember the “pooper scooper”. If you are incorporating animals in your float, please obtain separate insurance.
• We strongly encourage CHRISTMAS MUSIC as part of your float. Our goal is to have every entry with music – the audience is asking for it.
• Please remember this is a family event. While we appreciate everyone’s efforts in promoting or displaying their product or cause, please consider the small children who view this parade. We ask that everyone ensure a proper code of conduct and personal attire is in place. Please refrain from alcohol consumption. Our goal is to make this event a fun-filled enjoyable experience for all those involved.

Parade Participant Information

• DROP OFF AREA IS ALONG BEVERLY STEET. Vehicles dropping off parade participants and equipment are to travel Beverly Street and unload equipment or let passengers off along Beverley adjacent to the Auditorium Parking Lot.
• NO PARKING IS ALLOWED IN DROP OFF AREA ALONG BEVERLY STREET – STOPPING ONLY!
• THERE IS NO PARKING AVAILABLE IN THE AUDITORIUM PARKING LOT UNLESS YOU ARE A FLOAT.
• ABSOLUTELY NO VEHICLES except those in the parade will be allowed in the main area designated for floats.

Float Driver Information

• To ensure the parade begins on time, all floats must be in position at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium by 9:00 a.m.
• To prevent traffic congestion, all floats must enter the Community Auditorium parking lot from the Balmoral and Beverly Street intersection only.
• Vehicle/Floats are will not be allowed to enter Beverly Street from High Street. Please ensure that your drivers are aware of this.
• If your entry has more than one vehicle, they must all arrive together for assembly purposes.
• Where possible, please shut-off vehicle engines prior to parade start. Reducing exhaust fumes at this site would assist our environment and the health of the people waiting at the Auditorium parking lot.
• The float driver must remain with the vehicle and be familiar with who he/she is driving for.
• During the parade, please maintain approximately 10 metres (30 feet) between you and the float ahead of you, no closer - no further. This must be adhered to in order to keep the parade moving along safely.
• If you have mechanical problems with your vehicle during the parade, please pull over and wave others to pass. Should the problem be resolved, we will attempt to re-enter your float at a proper interval.
• At the CLE grounds please do not leave any garbage or materials from the floats.
• To exit CLE site, please refer to map and follow directions from the Police Officer on site for timely departure onto City roadways.

Awards and Awards Ceremony

• Float Awards:
  • Governor's Choice Selected by the District Governor's representatives
  • Most Original Christmas Theme
  • School Category
  • Community Group/Service Club Category
  • Commercial Category
• Presentation of these Awards will take place at a later date. Winners will be contacted.
• Following the parade, refreshments for parade participants will be available in the Heritage Building at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition grounds.
• Santa and Mrs. Claus will make an appearance at the end of the parade to greet the children.
• A shuttle bus is available to all participants for a ride back to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. The departure location of this service will be in front of the Silver City Theatre.

Candy / Give-Aways Distribution:

If you wish to hand out candy along the parade route, you must provide “walkers” along the route. Candy. Absolutely no candy is to be thrown from the floats. There are approximately 20,000 people lining the parade route. We are very aware of the difficulties to fairly determine or distribute your gifts of kindness to thousands of tiny faces along the route. As past parades indicate, the majority of these candy/give-aways items are being dispersed to those who are located at the beginning to middle of the parade route. Although we greatly appreciate your efforts, if possible, please remember that smiling faces are anxiously waiting near the end of the parade route (near the CLE site) and would very much appreciate your kindness there too.

Questions / Inquiries:
Please contact Jodi Phillips at 807-344-2002.