Before you ask
Frequently asked questions
Answers to what we are asked most. Every answer has its own link, so you can send one straight to somebody.
Attending
Times, parking, closures and what to expect on the night.
Saturday, November 21, 2026. The parade steps off at 5:30 p.m..
Fireworks start at 5:15 p.m..
It starts on Ste. Anne Road and finishes at St. Anne’s Road and Notre Dame Avenue, by way of Elgin, Durham, Larch, Lisgar and Elm. The full route is written out street by street.
Parking is not permitted anywhere along the route — Ste. Anne, Elgin, Durham, Larch, Lisgar, Elm and Notre Dame — from 3:00 p.m..
Roads on the route close at 3:00 p.m. and reopen about an hour after the last entry passes.
Yes. Two designated areas, with surfaces, curb cuts, accessible parking and washrooms all described in detail.
The parade runs in snow. It is cancelled only for conditions that make the route unsafe, and a cancellation is announced here, on the parade day page and on our social channels.
Participating
For float captains, bands and marching groups.
Registration opens in September and runs until the parade fills. Fees are $75 for a not-for-profit entry’s first vehicle and $100 for each additional; $150 and $200 for commercial entries.
The number of entries is confirmed closer to the parade.
No greater than 80 feet long, 10 feet wide or 13 feet high. If your entry is longer than 80 feet, split it into two entries rather than trimming it.
No. There is one Santa in the parade and his participation is already arranged.
No. Nothing may be thrown from a float or vehicle. You may hand things to people from a walking participant.
Marshalling opens at 1:00 p.m. and every entry must be in place by 5:00 p.m.. You are told your arrival time and position one week before the parade.
Walking participants who are not part of an organized marching group must be at least 12, and everyone walking needs some form of illumination.
Volunteering
Parade Marshalls and the other roles that make the night work.
Walks the route, keeps entries spaced, gives directions, and is the person spectators ask. It is about four hours on your feet, and it is the best seat in the city.
Sixteen to marshal on your own. Fourteen and up with a parent or guardian on the same shift.
One briefing, about 45 minutes, in the week before the parade, plus accessible customer service training that we record for every volunteer. Both can be done online.
You go on the waitlist, and we work down it — people drop out every year, usually in the last fortnight.
Sponsorship
For businesses and organizations supporting the parade.
Five: North Pole at $5,000, Santa’s Village at $2,500, Reindeer at $1,000, Santa’s Sleigh at $500 and Elves at $300. Cash or in-kind at the top four levels.
Yes, at the North Pole, Santa’s Village and Reindeer levels. Tell us what you can provide and we will work out where it lands.
Road closures and traffic control, insurance, the fireworks, marshalling supplies, high-visibility gear for volunteers, and the awards evening. The parade is free to watch and free to walk in for community groups because of it.
To appear on printed advertising, by the end of September. Website and thank-you ad recognition can be arranged up to parade week.
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