HALIFAX – Tens of thousands of people packed the streets for the 118th Natal Day parade in Halifax and Dartmouth on Monday, but few know how much works goes into organizing the event.
About 76 floats participated in the 4 kilometre parade, which stretches from Halifax’s north end across the MacDonald Bridge to Dartmouth.
About a year’s worth of planning and organizing makes the two hour parade possible.
Global News got a behind-the-scenes look at what organizers need to do to keep the parade running smoothly and on time.
Chairman of the parade Greg Hayward says the set up for the 10 a.m. parade begins at 8 a.m.
“The better set up we have, the better the marshaling goes. The better the marshaling goes, the better the parade goes,” he said.
The set-up requires countless volunteers who place numbered pylons on the road for organizations participating in the parade. Each organization must find their pylon when they get to the start of the parade, and pylons are separated by how much space is required for each float.
For example, Hayward says that floats like the Shriners need about 100 feet so they can perform their routines while other groups, like some who walk the parade, only need about 50 feet.
Hayward adds that there is also a science behind the order of the floats.
There are also vehicles to herd floats along to ensure no gaps appear in the parade.
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“People don’t want to stand on the side of the street looking at gaps. That’s what we have to be careful of,” Hayward said. “If I saw people lagging, I could hustle them along.”
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Those participating say lots of preparation is needed to get themselves and their floats parade-ready.
“There’s lots of planning that goes into it beforehand,” said Alexis McConachie with War Amps.
“I’m just attending with the child amputees. Some of them are going to be walking along with me and the kids get to pick which side they want based on where their parents are going to be,” she said.
Shelly Irvine with the Halifax Sparklettes says the group practices all-year round for parades in the summer.
George Grant with the Masonic Order says the group is excited to be in their first ever Natal Parade.
“We have our grand director of ceremonies. He’s going to line everyone up in the parade then we are going to fall in and do our thing,” he said.
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