Saint John Santa Claus Parade may be cancelled due to lack of floats
For a second straight year, uptown Saint John may be without its Santa Claus Parade.
On Oct. 1, the Saint John Santa Claus Parade put out a social media post stating only four floats/groups have entered to be a part of the 2024 parade; normally there are around 30 entries by this point. The post went on to say if there are not more participants, there won’t be a parade.
“We were sitting at three and four. Three for the West Side (Lancaster) and four for the uptown (Saint John) parade,” says Saint John Santa Claus Parade committee chairperson Blaine Harris. “Since that post has gone out, we've had 12 new ones come in and we've had a few inquiries.”
Harris says some people have suggested some groups may not have signed up like in past years due to an entrance fee. Harris says that $120 fee is only for large corporations who enter the parade. He says the vast majority of participants don’t pay anything.
Harris believes another reason for the slow start is the fact people don’t have the time and resources to get a float together.
The 2023 parade uptown was cancelled due to inclement weather, but there was no rain date.
“You can't get transports and you can't get the volunteers to commit to a back-to-back dates,” Harris says, adding that since he took over in 2017, the event has only been rained out once. “And you can't run it on the following week because there's other parades in the area that are running.”
Harris understands how important the more than seven-decade parade is for the people of the Port City. He hopes to have around 30 floats signed up by mid-October to make for a good parade, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 16.
The Lancaster parade is set for Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.
A post made to the Santa Claus Parade’s Facebook page Thursday afternoon states there are now 20 floats registered.
Jennifer Brown, the athletic director at Harbour View High School, will once again oversee the school’s cheer squad march in the night parade.
She says the event is always exciting for the students as a chance to bond, and a great way for the school to be involved in the community.
“We look forward to it,” says Brown. “We have the hot chocolate, we're waiting for Santa to come and that's where we give them our letters too, so it's kind of a big tradition in the city. Hopefully people get out there and sign up and come up with a plan to be part of the event.”
“I think Santa Claus parades are very important for communities,” Gail Furniss tells CTV Atlantic. “I think in today's world, with the world being so impersonal, having events that brings the community back out to see each other.”
Deputy Mayor John MacKenzie says residents missed the event last year.
“I sure did,” says MacKenzie. “And so did my kids and my grandchildren, so this year we want it to be bigger and better than ever.”
A final call on the parade’s status is expected to be made by mid-month depending on the number of entries.
For more New Brunswick news, please visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I think Israel is interested in a ceasefire': U.S. ambassador to Canada
In an interview with CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, airing Sunday, Cohen said that despite the failed attempt at a pause, he still believes a ceasefire is possible.
Monument unveiled for eight Nova Scotia brothers who fought in World War II
The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.
Northwestern Ont. woman charged with arson with disregard for human life
A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.
Officer arrested after allegedly stealing alcohol from store: TPS
A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.
opinion Tips on managing your financial stress
Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.
Auto thefts down from 2023, but remain high, new data shows
New data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) shows that even though claims for auto theft dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to their 2023 peak, the rates of reported theft remain well above those of years prior.
1 dead after pickup truck plows through bus stop in Surrey
One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.
Liberal, Conservative MPs to speak at Oct. 7 march to Parliament Hill
A Liberal MP and a Conservative MP will be part of a team delivering speeches at an event in Ottawa commemorating the one year anniversary of the attacks on Oct. 7.
The cooking method you need to learn to get excited about vegetables this fall, expert says
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.