NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
*************************
For the first time since 2019, crowds will line the streets of downtown Orillia this Saturday, Nov. 19 to celebrate the arrival of the holiday season with jolly old St. Nick himself.
The parade begins at 5 p.m. and will feature over 60 floats, bands, and walking groups. With the big day only a few days away, organizers at the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce have a few reminders for attendees.
Importantly, the parade route will be slightly different than in previous years. To avoid the construction currently underway at the downtown waterfront, parade organizers had to find an alternate marshalling area for the floats to line up.
eCapital graciously donated use of their parking lot on West Street South, so the parade will begin near the intersection of West and Colborne, head west to Dunlop Street, and then snake down Mississaga to Front and back up Colborne. While it’s not a big change, parade goers are encouraged to view the new route at www.orillia.com/santa-claus-parade to help plan where and when to arrive.
The Sharing Place will be partnering with Toromont Cat to collect food donations. Non-perishable food items can be brought to the parade to help fill a “dozer load” of donations for the food centre. This familiar aspect of the parade is always popular with young construction vehicle enthusiasts, and also helps fulfil an important need in the community, particularly this year with rising food costs putting more and more local citizens at risk of food insecurity.
Canada Post will be collecting letters for Santa along the parade route. Letters can be addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada, and should include a return address so Santa can write back. The Kiwanis Bucket Brigade will be marching with the floats collecting cash donations. Donations go toward covering the parade costs, and if there are excess funds they will be donated to local charities.
Finally, parade attendees are encouraged to dress warmly as the forecast is calling for appropriately wintery weather to make Santa feel at home on Saturday. Watching the parade can take approximately two hours, so full winter attire and warm drinks are recommended.
Some on-street and municipal lot parking will be available, but certain areas will be unavailable due to street closures along the parade route. It’s a good idea to carpool if possible and leave extra time when arriving, or take advantage of the free transit offered by the City of Orillia and Tim Hortons. Free transit rides will be available from 3:45 until 5:15 p.m., and again from 7:45 until 9:15 p.m.
The Orillia District Chamber of Commerce organizes the Santa Claus parade with support from its members, parade committee volunteers, and sponsors. This year’s major sponsors are Arnott Construction, Ron Johnston Insurance, Burton Team of Investment Planning Counsel and Pizza Nova. A full list of sponsors can be found at www.orillia.com/santa-claus-parade.
*************************
