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PARADE INFO Post Parade Activities at The Forks
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PARADE INFO THE WINNIPEG SANTA CLAUS PARADE HISTORY Eaton's Department Store held its first Santa Claus Parade in 1905 in Toronto. The Parade was so successful that in 1909 Eaton's started parades in Montreal and Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade has been successfully held every year since and celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Due to rising costs Eaton's organized its last Parade in 1965. Captain George Smith of the East Kildonan Fire Department, on behalf of the Winnipeg Firefighters Club, bought the Parade from Eaton's for $1.50. Thus started the community based format for the Parade that has continued to this day. From 1966 to 1975 the Winnipeg Firefighters worked very closely with volunteers from schools around Winnipeg to successfully carry on the Parade tradition. In 1975 the Winnipeg Jaycees, now JCI Winnipeg, were asked to continue the community tradition and the organization took over the stewardship of the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade exclusively until 2004. In 1987 the JCI Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade began its relationship with the Christmas Cheer Board collecting donations and non-perishable food items along the parade route. In November 1998, the City of Winnipeg hosted the Grey Cup. Manitoba Hydro worked with event organizers to bring a Grey Cup parade to downtown Winnipeg. Because of its success, Manitoba Hydro continued to sponsor an annual night-time parade in downtown Winnipeg. This event continued from 1999 to 2005 and was called the Power Smart Festival of Lights Parade. When the Grey Cup returned in 2006, JCI Winnipeg, the City of Winnipeg and Manitoba Hydro joined forces, rolling their individual events into one large and very successful Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. The next year, in 2007, JCI Winnipeg and Manitoba Hydro agreed to a joint-title sponsorship to hold the Power Smart / JCI Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. The Santa Claus Parade then became a night-time, lit parade. In 2009 the Parade was happy to partner with the Point Douglas Residents Committee and help with the Share the Warmth charity by collecting warm winter clothing (mitts, hats, socks, scarves, boots, jackets, etc.) for various inner city Winnipeg youth groups and community organizations. This year, 2010, sees the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade transitioning into a broader based organization. An organizing committee, consisting of JCI Winnipeg, Manitoba Hydro, City of Winnipeg and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ members, is making sure there is another magical Parade on November 13 and that the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade is developing a stronger, year round presence in the community.
The Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade is participating in a number of events before Parade Day. Stop by to say hello, enter a float or sign-up to volunteer!
The Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade starts November 13, 2010 at 5:00 pm Parade Route - Click here to download PDF Lots of free parking is available in and around the Parade route but get there early - it fills up quickly! Some parking suggestions are located on the area map. Street Closures - Click here to download PDF Area Map - Click here to download PDF Post Parade Activities at The Forks Entertainment under The Canopy at 7:00 pm - Don't miss the dance performance and music. Fireworks at 7:30 pm. Animals First Aid Letters to Santa Coming soon. Please check back often. Lost and Found Special Needs Transit Washrooms Charities The Christmas Cheer Board will be accepting non perishable food items and new unwrapped gifts. Share the Warmth are seeking warm winter wear: coats, parkas, hats, toques, mittens and scarves for all ages. Look for volunteers from these charities in the Parade as they will be picking up items along the Parade route. Drop off bins will also be available on each block. Remember - please pick up after yourselves. We know there are many goodies distributed throughout the Parade and Santa and his elves appreciate your help to make the world a cleaner place. Be sure and enter Santa's colouring contest brought to you by MTS Allstream and the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. See last year's winning picture (below) by Hannah Bates.
Check back often to see what other events will be happening on Parade Day in Downtown Winnipeg. Manitoba Moose
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Tickets available at the WSO box office and all Ticketmaster outlets: Ticketmaster
The fifteen blocks of the Santa Parade route will each be hosted by a company or organization creating a Block Party atmosphere for the Parade spectators. Each block will feature different types of entertainment ranging from mascots to musicians to street hockey. Teams of volunteers or Block Brigades recruited from the hosts will help to ensure that everyone has a safe, friendly, fun, entertaining and memorable experience at the 2009 Power Smart / JCI Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. Check out below for the entertainment of the Santa Parade Block Party you want to attend. Block A Block B Block C Block D Block E Block F Block G Block H Block I Block J Block K Block L Block M Block N Block O Block P
Check back often for updated information on the Grand Marshall. Ace Burpee is the host of The Ace Burpee Show with Chrissy Troy on HOT 103. Ace grew up just north of Winnipeg in Cooks Creek, Manitoba. He likes fishing, hockey, burgers, skateboarding, dogs and winter. Ace was super-pumped when asked to come back as Santa's Head Elf for this year's parade. "I'm super pumped!!!", he said. See? He said that. After being the Parade's Grand Marshall last year, Ace will again to make this the second ever live-Twittered Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. Follow and see. twitter.com/aceburpeeshow
Check back soon.
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