HALIFAX -- For the first time in six years, the Sydney Santa Clause Parade was held during the day on Saturday. However, that wasn't the only contrast between it and the town’s traditional nighttime parade. There were fewer floats, no fire trucks and from start to finish; the annual tradition was over in nearly ten minutes.
The smaller parade was noticeable to many attendees of Saturday’s celebration. Some people believe the parade’s diminutive nature can be attributed to others in their community taking a stand by boycotting the event after Cape Breton Regional Municipality council voted to ban nighttime parade – a decision that created a divide between council members themselves.
"I am pleading to my colleagues to come together and reinstate our evening parades,” said CBRM councillor, Earlene MacMullin, at a recent council meeting. “When I say ‘plead’ I am literally pleading."
"It's something that there was never an issue with – and now, we've created an issue," said CBRM councillor, Amanda McDougall, at the meeting.
Ultimately, the recommendation by police was passed by the council, in part due to safety concerns after the tragic death of a little girl at a 2018 Christmas parade in Yarmouth.
“Some of the entries in the past have made very marginal efforts to decorate,” says CBRM Recreation program coordinator, Joe Costello.“Some entries haven't been able to get the same volunteer base that was required to participate in the parade.”
Despite the 2019 parade not being what most in the community had hoped for – some just went with the flow.
“You miss the lights during the day, but you make the best of it –and that's the way it is,” says parade participant, Frank Cathcart.
However, most people miss the traditional parade offerings.
“A lot of people like all the floats and all the fire trucks, and all the lights at night-time,” says volunteer, Mike MacDonald. “It's more festive.”
Macdonald, like many, hopes council will reconsider its decision for 2020 – before the annual tradition becomes a distant memory, something organizers hope never becomes a reality.
“Some of the entries weren't able to accommodate quite as quickly as others,” says Costello. “So, I hope a lot of community organizations and businesses will take the next year to review and revamp and be excited to participate for next year.”
Meanwhile, many communities in the Maritimes did not opt-out of their annual holiday parades, with communities such as Halifax and Antigonish holding parades for the 2019 parade season. Additionally, Sydney’s parade is the first of many community parades happening in the CBRM leading up to Christmas.
