Toronto Santa Claus Parade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toronto Santa Claus Parade |
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Santa at the 2010 Toronto Santa Claus Parade
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Christmas parade |
| Frequency | Annually, third Sunday in November |
| Location(s) | Toronto, Ontario |
| Years active | 1905-present |
The Toronto Santa Claus Parade is a super fun event held every year in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's also known as The Original Santa Claus Parade. This amazing parade happens on the third Sunday of November. More than half a million people come to watch it each year!
This parade first started way back in 1905. It's one of the biggest parades in North America. It's also the oldest Santa Claus parade in the whole world! The parade route is about 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) long. It winds through many famous Toronto streets.
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History of the Parade
The idea for this parade came from a special event in 1904. Santa Claus walked from Union Station to the Eaton's department store. The first official parade happened on December 2, 1905. It had just one float back then!
Eaton's department store sponsored the parade. Santa was picked up at Union Station and taken to the Eaton's store. The parade got bigger and bigger every year. Lots of people came to see it.
Early Parade Fun
From 1910 to 1912, the parade started in Newmarket. It would travel south to Toronto over two days. In 1913, Eaton's brought real reindeer from Labrador! They pulled Santa's sleigh. Until 1915, Santa would meet up to 5,000 children at Massey Hall after the parade.
By 1917, the parade had many floats. In 1919, Santa even arrived by plane! For many years, floats from the Toronto parade were also used in Montreal. Eaton's had parades there too.
Parade Grows and Changes
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In 1947, a special character named Punkinhead joined the parade. Punkinhead was from storybooks sold by Eaton's. By the 1950s, the Toronto parade was the biggest Santa Claus parade in North America!
Eaton's paid for the parade to help promote their stores. They had a special team that worked all year. They made costumes and built amazing floats. In 1952, the parade was shown on TV for the first time by CBC Television. In 1970, it was broadcast in colour!
Saving the Parade
Eaton's stopped sponsoring the parade in 1982. This almost meant the end of the parade! But a group of business people stepped in to save it. They started a "Save Our Parade" campaign.
Today, many companies help fund the parade. These include McDonald's, Canadian Tire, and The Walt Disney Company. In 1983, the "Celebrity Clowns" tradition began. Famous people dress as clowns and walk in the parade. It's still a big part of the parade today!
Recent Parade Routes
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In 2011, the parade route changed. It moved to provide more space for floats and people watching. In 2019, the route changed again. This was because of construction at its usual starting spot.
The 2020 parade was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto. It was filmed at Canada's Wonderland and shown only on TV. There were musical performances by stars like Meghan Trainor and Dolly Parton. The 2021 parade was also broadcast-only for safety reasons. The parade returned as a public event in 2022.
Watching the Parade
How to Watch on TV
From 1952 to 1981, CBC Television showed the parade. Later, Global carried the parade in Canada. They also shared it with other countries. Since 2010, CTV has broadcast the parade. You can also hear it on CHFI-FM radio.
In the United States, the Toronto Santa Claus Parade used to be part of a special TV show. This show featured other big parades too.
Getting to the Parade
Many streets in downtown Toronto are closed on parade day. They usually close from about 8:00 a.m. until the afternoon. It's best to take public transit to the parade. You can use GO Transit to Union Station. Or, use the Toronto Transit Commission subway system. Both will get you close to the parade route!
