Blocks of human barricades outlined the route of this year’s Santa Claus Parade on Sunday with people coming to watch Santa coming to town.
What seemed like an endless barrage of floats and participants featuring clowns, elves, upside down monkeys, and bands, strolled through downtown Toronto starting at Christy Pits and ending down by St. Lawrence Market.
Everything from Bugs Bunny to Cinderella and the Muppets decked the floats in megalithic fashion. Joining the festivities this year was Mrs. Claus, who had her own float. The last float belonged to Santa himself, who made his way through the parade with his sleigh amidst the cheering crowd.
The parade was led by Mayor Rob Ford, who gave away candy to the crowd alongside the 175 “celebrity clowns.”
Standing room was in short supply and people made due by perching themselves on top of fences, creating benches with two ladders and a piece of wood, and children sat on top of their parents’ shoulders to see the parade.
“We spoke with people who have been coming early to secure the same spots along the parade route for years. Some even bring ladders so that their children can see above the crowd. People were polite and in a festive mood,” said Richard Porter, a Toronto resident who came out to watch the parade with his family.
Although there was no snow on the ground, you would be forgiven if you thought you were at the north pole. People walked around with antlers, red noses, and various other costumes and toys were out in abundance.
“My wife and I brought our two year-old child down and started a new annual family tradition. These are the memories our children carry with them for the rest of their lives,” said Porter.
This was Toronto’s 107th Santa Claus Parade, which started as an annual tradition in 1905. The parade was broadcast live across North America as well as in several countries around the world.
