Future of Halifax's Parade of Lights up in the air after Saltwire sale
The future of the popular Parade of Lights in Halifax is uncertain due to the sale of the media company that has sponsored it for years.
SaltWire was sold to the national chain Postmedia earlier this year and the right to the parade went with it. SaltWire’s Halifax newspaper has been a longtime title sponsor of the holiday event.
Sports and Entertainment Atlantic and the Downtown Halifax Business Commission have expressed interest in stepping up to keep the parade going. The Commission says Postmedia has not made a public announcement about its role in the parade’s future.
The event, typically held in November, winds through downtown Halifax with dozens of floats.
The uncertainty surrounding the Parade of Lights could provide a boost to smaller events in the region, including the Spryfield Santa Claus Parade, which is held on Nov. 24.
“We have already seen people requesting applications that we haven’t seen before, so that’s an indication to me that we are going to see an even bigger parade this year,” said Bruce Holland, executive director and co-chair of the Spryfield event. “I think we have five- or six-thousand people last year so it was a big turnout.”
Anne Marie Baker, co-chair of the Light Up Bedford Parade (which is held on Nov. 17), is also hopeful for a strong showing this season.
“Last year with the Halifax parade postponed by a week, a lot of people chose to come to the Bedford parade,” Baker said. “We had – we believe – roughly 30,000 in attendance. We anticipate a sizeable turnout again this year.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Aviation experts say Russia's air defence fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns
Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defence fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.
Police identify victim of Christmas Day homicide in Hintonburg, charge suspect
The Ottawa Police Service says the victim who had been killed on Christmas Day in Hintonburg has been identified.
Teen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' dies after falling from moving vehicle
Hudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM.
Boxing Day in Canada: Small retailers fear big shopping day won't make up for tough year
It’s one of the busiest shopping days of the year: Boxing Day sees thousands of people head to malls and big box stores to find great deals. But it's not so simple for smaller shops.
Raised in Sask. after his family fled Hungary, this man spent decades spying on communists for the RCMP
As a Communist Party member in Calgary in the early 1940s, Frank Hadesbeck performed clerical work at the party office, printed leaflets and sold books.
Sinkhole prompts lane closures on Interstate 80 in New Jersey
A sinkhole that opened up Thursday along Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey forced authorities to close the heavily travelled highway's eastbound lanes.
Police in New Brunswick investigating Christmas Eve sudden death
An unconscious individual was found in the 600-block area of Lancaster Avenue early Christmas Eve morning, and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Spending the holiday season alone this year? How to make the most of it
Spending the holidays alone can feel lonely or empty, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea
Finnish authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, police said, in the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure.