Did you hear? Santa Claus is coming to town!
But the arrival of the big man in red will also cause some traffic tie-ups in Halifax.
Thousands of participants and spectators are expected to line the 2.5-kilometre parade route, so the Halifax Regional Municipality is asking motorists to plan ahead.
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The Red Nose Run will kick off at around 6 p.m. on Upper Water Street, just before the start of the Holiday Parade of Lights.
Participants will travel along Barrington Street, right onto Spring Garden Road, left onto South Park Street and finally right onto University Avenue.
The parade then continues past the IWK Children’s Hospital and ends at the corner of University Avenue and Robie Street.
Halifax police will be shutting those streets down to traffic beginning at 4:30 p.m. They’ll reopen once the parade and spectators have safely moved on from the area.
You won’t be allowed to park anywhere along the parade and some streets within close proximity between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Parking on University Avenue will not be permitted after 3 p.m. Parking meters will be covered with special event bags.
Vehicles in violation will be ticketed, towed, and the driver will likely receive a lump of coal.
But as it’s the season of giving, Halifax Transit is offering free ferry service between the Alderney and Halifax ferry terminals from 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and will operate on a 15-minute frequency during this time.
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Instead of paying for the ferry, passengers are encouraged to bring a food or monetary donation to support the Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank.
Halifax Transit buses that normally travel on the affected downtown Halifax streets will be detoured starting at 4 p.m. Residents can visit the Service Disruptions page for more information on affected routes.