Five Things to Know about the 16th Vancouver Santa Claus Parade
Credit to Author: Harrison Mooney| Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 01:47:30 +0000
The holiday season has arrived in Vancouver, and you know what that means: Santa Clauses coming to town.
The 16th annual Vancouver Santa Claus Parade kicks off Dec. 1 at noon in downtown Vancouver, so if you find yourself stuck in traffic this Sunday, you’d better watch out, you’d better not cry, and you’d better not pout. I’m telling you why: Santa hates that.
Expect a crowded core. The parade is a major draw every year, attracting over 300,000 spectators to take in a dazzling array of marching bands, dance troupes, festive floats and community groups — approximately 2,500 participants in all. If you love Santa, this is your chance to meet him, and if you feel he’s ever let you down in the past or perhaps you feel it’s time for the big guy to swap the coal for a cleaner energy source, this is your chance to confront him.
Here are five things to know about the Santa Claus parade.
The 1.8 km parade route begins in Coal Harbour, just outside the Qube at Georgia and Broughton. From there, the parade travels east along Georgia to Howe toward the Vancouver Art Gallery, where it turns south down Howe before wrapping things up like a Christmas present at Howe and Davie.
If you’re hoping to catch sight of Santa, it’s best to arrive early and carve out a spot along the route. The corner of Georgia and Howe gets very congested, so your best bet is to camp out at the start or the end of the route instead.
There will be an accessible viewing area set up in on the east side of Howe Street, just south of Georgia Street.
Suffice to say, there will also be road closures. If you don’t have your own reindeer to drop you right into the thick of things, please leave your vehicle at home and take public transit.
The Annual Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, in Vancouver December 2, 2018.
The Santa Claus Parade isn’t just a brief procession with only one right turn. There’s a whole host of activities throughout the day, including opportunities to meet Santa before and after he goes for a walk.
Santa will be having breakfast at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and families are invited to a delicious buffet said to be filled with wonder and excitement, where wonder is “pancakes” and excitement is “waffles.” This event, which also includes a hot chocolate station and activities for children, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Tickets are $59 per adult and $35 for children 12 and under.
If you’d prefer a free event, families are invited to Christmas Square at the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza from 10 a.m. to noon There will be all sorts of things to do and see, including face painting, festive kids crafts and activities, and a letters to Santa station. Plus there will be vendors, if you want to stock up on holiday shea butters and what-not.
Finally, after the parade, Santa is posing for free photos at TELUS Garden (510 W. Georgia St.) from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m, where hot chocolate and cookies will also be served.
The Annual Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, in Vancouver December 2, 2018.
I’m glad you asked. Parade officials have proactively released a parade etiquette guide, and it includes the obvious, such as respecting parade officials, and staying out of the street, lest you obstruct the route, or worse, suffer the same fate as the grandma of Christmas carol lore. It’s one thing to get run over by a reindeer; it’s something else entirely to get run over by a red Chevrolet Uplander with antlers stuck to the sides.
Wear rain gear rather than holding an umbrella, which blocks the view, and, of course, don’t smoke cigarettes or cannabis in the crowd. You may feel the need to get high enough to see Santa, but please don’t get high enough to experience Santa.
Parade officials urge you to respect previously reserved seats, and never move or occupy an empty chair. They also ask that you allow people in wheelchairs a front-row, curbside view of the parade, be courteous to families with small children, and say “excuse me” or “I’m sorry” if you bump or step on someone in the crowd.
In addition, it would be very, very nice if you made a monetary or non-perishable donation to The Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Since 2004, the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade has helped raise more than $214,000 and 76,500 pounds of food for the Food Bank and Lower Mainland families in need. The most-needed items, they suggest, are low-sodium canned salmon and tuna, and canned black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.
Finally, dress warmly, because Santa didn’t come to ring in beach season. It gets chilly out there, and being nice to people includes being nice to yourself. Only a Christmas fool would arrive mittenless.
Yes, because it’s not a revolution — the route is a perfect right angle. The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade will air on Global BC and BC 1.
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