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Santa Claus Parade

HomeThings To DoCommunity EventsSanta Claus Parade
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Port Hope Santa Claus Parade wordmark

Our Santa Claus Parade takes place on the last Saturday of November at 1:00 p.m and is a part of our holiday kick-off weekend in Port Hope, happening the day after our Candlelight Festival.

The lively parade attracts bands from across the province, features loads of local talent, costumes and floats from businesses and community groups; it’s a toe-tapping good time for folks of all ages!

Walton Street parade float

2025 Parade Details

  • Date: Saturday November 29
  • Theme: Deck the Downtown
  • Time: 1:00 p.m.
  • Approximate duration: 1hr 15 minutes

Parade route: Ridout Street, Walton Street, Queen Street - finishing at Town Hall.

Road closures will be in place starting at 11:30 p.m. and will reopen approximately 2:30 p.m.

Whether you are looking to join the parade, or watch the parade, Port Hope is the place to be on November 29.

Marching band
Participate in the Parade

Join the lively parade line up

Registration details
Spectators along the road
Watch the Parade
Prepare for the parade experience
Spectator details

Registration details

To participate in the Parade, please review parade guidelines and fill out an application form.

Walking parties, floats, and decorated vehicles all welcome. Registration is open to all local businesses, organizations, and sport groups. Your participation will help create a vibrant and colourful parade experience for all! 

Policies & Regulations 

We’re so fortunate that our Santa Claus Parade is growing bigger and better every year, with more families, friends, and smiling faces participating. There’s plenty of room for everyone, and with the parade’s growing popularity, it’s more exciting than ever!

We aim to see a diverse range of participants and keep our parade length to about an hour in duration. To do this, we require everyone to abide by these guidelines so we can keep the parade moving smoothly, safely, and ensure it delivers that festive feeling to all our spectators—especially the little ones! 

Our Parade Marshals and committee members are working alongside you to deliver a fabulous parade. If they notice something that doesn’t align with the parade guidelines, they will kindly ask for adjustments or changes on or before parade day. To ensure you stay on Santa’s Nice List, please follow these rules and help us create the best parade yet!

Parade route: Ridout Street, Walton Street, Queen Street - finishing at Town Hall.

 

Participant Guidelines:
  1. Only one (1) Santa. No other Santa Claus but the one at the end of the parade route will be permitted.
  2. All participants must incorporate a festive holiday theme in their decorations, music, float design and/or costumes. Please ensure vehicles towing floats are decorated as well.
  3. Entries must be entertaining to a family audience, especially for children. 
  4. All participants must register to participate in the parade.
  5. Parade participants shall not consume alcohol and will refrain from smoking during their participation in the parade.
  6. For safety reasons, throwing of candy or any objects is not allowed. Throwing candy is very dangerous and invites children to move onto street to collect any that bounce. Anyone wanting to hand out candy can do so with designated, walking distributers along the side of the road.
  7. Absolutely NO stopping along the parade route. If walkers fall behind their supporting vehicle, walkers are to catch up - vehicles are not permitted to stop. If you are performing or dancing, do so while in a forward motion, no reverse choreography. Stopping will create unnecessary gaps in the parade, as well as a backup.
  8. Know your parade route exit. All parade participants will either turn up Augusta Street (if you do NOT need participants to dismount or to secure items) or turn into the Town Hall parking lot (if you require space to unload participants and secure items). Oversized floats will be permitted to exit out Queen Street.  
  9. No entry will hand out brochures, flyers or any other printed materials to parade spectators, without prior parade committee approval. If you plan to hand out print material, make it impactful - we don't want to see paper lining the street following the parade. 
  10. Automobiles for commercial advertising are limited to one per business and must be decorated.
  11. Animal entries are required to clean up behind their animals along the route to be courteous to the other participants. Handlers are responsible for the care and control of the animals. Please only bring animals equipped to endure the stimulating parade environment. Animals are not permitted to interact with spectators along the route - please keep animals in middle of the road.
  12. Any floats with children must have at least one (1) adult present for supervision.
  13. No entry shall exceed 12 feet in height.
  14. Oversized (extra-long and large transport) entries are required to bring flaggers to escort vehicle and help driver navigate route and spectators. 
  15. All participants (floats and walking parties) lining up in the staging area must remain in single file, unless directed by a Parade Marshal. 
  16. Name of group/entry must be displayed and easily identifiable.
  17. Floats with generators or other possible fire hazards must provide suitable fire extinguishing equipment. No propane tanks or open flames permitted.
  18. There will be no premature exiting of the parade route. 
  19. An entry may be refused up to the start of the parade should the entry not meet parade guidelines or differ from their approved entry form.

Register for the parade

All parade participants need to be approved in advance by event organizers to join the line up.

Registration Form

Join the Parade Participant Mailing List

Information for those interested in learning about parade participation opportunities in Port Hope

Newsletter sign-up

Parade Day Details

  1. We ask that all floats and walking parties arrive between 12 - 12:30 pm. Floats and walking parties are asked to line up along Bramley Street South (facing north). Please work together in the busy staging area to make room for fellow parade participants and keep safe.
  2. There is no parade order. The Parade Marshal will pull entries from Bramley S and insert bands from Bramley N onsite. Please be patient in the staging area. Your entry will be called upon to head down the parade route, in due time.
  3. All participants (floats and walking parties) lining up in the staging area must remain in single file, unless directed by a Parade Marshal. Parade Marshals will be onsite at noon to answer any questions.
  4. Parade starts at exactly 1:00pm (rain, snow or shine). Please dress layered for the weather. 
  5. There will be a portable toilet placed in the parking lot for all participants who are in need.
  6. Carpooling to the staging areas (start and finish) is recommended. Those dropping off participants at the parade start, please avoid driving along Bramley St S - use the cross streets (Stratchan St and Sherborne St).
  7. Along the route, it is important to maintain the distance between the float in front of you - not too close, but not too far. This is a significant safety note, but it also maintains a steady even flow. 
  8. End of parade exit plan – To exit the route, all parade participants will either turn up Augusta Street (if you do not need participants to dismount, or secure items) or turn into the Town Hall parking lot (if you require space to unload participants or secure items) and exit up Augusta Street. Oversized entries will be permitted to exit out Queen.
  9. Entry/float captains – Please inform all parents and participants of these rules. We suggest that float captains arrange a meeting place with parents in dismount area (Town Hall parking lot) for pickup.   

The following policies are established as the minimum regulations for enjoyment and safety reasons. We require your cooperation in observing them. Parade participants are responsible for their own safety and the parade committee will not be held responsible for any accidents.

Spectator details

  • Parade route: Ridout Street, Walton Street, Queen Street - finishing at Town Hall.
  • The Parade kicks off at the top of the parade route (intersection of Ridout and Bramley) at 1:00 p.m. sharp.
  • Spectators are asked to spread themselves out along the 1.2km route. Review the route map to find viewing locations and plan your approach.
  • Spectators are asked to please be mindful and respectful of other spectators and parade participants along the route and to please stay off the road to keep everyone safe.
  • Please note road closures will be in effect (along the parade route) starting at 11:30 p.m. Roads will be opened directly following the parade at approximately 2:30 p.m. The Town Hall parking lot will be closed off beginning at 6:00 a.m. and used as participant dismount location.
  • Please do not park at bagged meters to keep the route clear. There are free parking lots located throughout the downtown. Local transit will also be running (and is free!), and residents are encouraged to walk to viewing locations along the route where possible.
  • Spectators are encouraged to pack supplies (snacks, water, extra mittens!) to help make the waiting experience a little more enjoyable. The parade is rain, snow, or shine.
  • The approximate length (duration) of the parade is 1hr 15 minutes. The Parade takes about 20minutes from the start of the route to get to downtown.
  • If you're so inclined you can bring letters to Santa, non-perishable food items, and/or an unwrapped toy, which will all be collected along the route.

The parade comes to life each year thanks to a generous assortment of community support and sponsors including:

OCEAP Logo   Port Hope Police logo   Aproductions logo

 Stay on Santa's Nice List and sponsor the Port Hope Santa Claus Parade

Letter and feather pen iconA jolly journey: the parade history in Port Hope

The very first Port Hope Santa Claus Parade took place in 1937. Discover how it has grown and changed into the beloved tradition it is today.

Parade History

The first Port Hope Santa Claus Parade was held in 1937. For years the parade was organized by the Port Hope Fire Department and continued the tradition at least until the mid-1950s. 

In 1971, the parade was taken over by the Olde Tyme Christmas Committee. The Old Tyme Christmas Committee was made up of community members who helped to maintain the Old Tyme Christmas charm in Port Hope for decades.

From 2012 to 2023, a volunteer-driven Port Hope Santa Claus Parade Committee was formed to fundraise, recruit participation, coordinate logistics, promote the event, balance the books and manage insurance requirements.  They also developed the reverse parade in 2020 during the global covid pandemic, ensuring the tradition continued! Members included: Jennifer Earl, Brit Earl, Jeff Gilmer, Karen O’Hara, Peter Abrams, Ken O'Neil, Barry Adamson, Barrileigh Price, Tammie Staples, Jeannie Maidens.

The Parade Committee transition ownership to the Municipality of Port Hope in 2024. Today, many volunteers still support parade coordination in partnership with the Port Hope Events Office. Our annual Santa Claus Parade comes to life through a combination of efforts and partnerships.

The Municipality of Port Hope provides both financial and in-kind logistical support to ensure a safe and successful parade each year.

The Port Hope Police Service assists with the marshaling all along the parade route, in partnership with Ontario Community Emergency Assistance Program (OCEAP).

Postal Workers head up the parade, collecting letters to Santa and making sure all these carefully prepared notes are delivered to the North Pole.

Rotary Club of Port Hope lends a hand collecting parade donations along the route to help cover parade expenses, and work like elves, making sure Santa’s sleigh is ready for the parade.

The Northumberland Food Bank does a non-perishable food drive along the route.

And of course, the parade participants and sponsors who really make the magic happen.

Community organizations and businesses create one-of-a-kind parade entries that entertain the thousands of spectators who brave the wintry weather to watch the annual event.

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