Santa’s coming to town: Argyle BIA gets ready for 5th annual Santa Claus Parade

A Christmas tradition in east London is set to return for another year this weekend.

The Argyle Business Improvement Area is set to hold its fifth annual Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m.

Organizers say there are about 70 different participants in this year’s parade, ranging from musical acts to local school groups to Santa himself.

“Our theme is always ‘Christmas Is for Kids’ so all of our floats definitely aim to please the kids, and of course it’s always family-friendly,” said Sarah McConnell, manager of the Argyle BIA.

“A lot of our businesses provide hot chocolate to the families as they’re watching. We have a lot of participants handing out candy and other goodies.”

“You can’t go wrong,” she added.

McConnell noted that support for the parade continues to grow with each year.

“The number of spectators, the number of families that come out almost doubles every year, which is incredible, and that’s just because of the volunteers who are participating,” she said.

“We can’t do it without them, and our businesses in the Argyle BIA have been so active and supportive in creating the parade.”

This year’s parade route runs along Dundas Street East between Parsons and Hale streets. McConnell advised anyone planning to experience the festivities to arrive around 10 a.m. Saturday to stake out a prime spot along the route.

The forecast for Saturday calls for a chance of flurries in the morning and early afternoon with a high of just -2 C, feeling more like -16 C in the morning. With that in mind, McConnell said they’re advising people to bundle up.

Those who attend the parade are also being encouraged to bring non-perishable food items with them, as donations will be collected along the route by volunteers. The food will be donated to the London Food Coalition.