Santa Claus Parade

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. With the parade’s growing popularity, it’s more exciting than ever, but also more important that all participants follow all parade guidelines.

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 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. Automobiles for commercial advertising are limited to one per business and must be decorated.
5. Name of group/entry must be displayed and easily identifiable.
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. 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 or items lining the street following the parade. 
9. Animal entries are required to clean up behind their animals along the route. 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.
10. People who wear costumes that restrict their ability to see people or objects around them should be accompanied by someone to help them safely navigate turns, uneven pavement, or other hazards the wearer might not notice.
11. Any floats with children must have at least one (1) adult present for supervision.
12. No entry shall exceed 12 feet in height.
13. No entry shall exceed 53 feet in length. All transport entries are required to bring flaggers to escort vehicle and help driver navigate route and spectators. 
14. Anyone walking beside a parade vehicle, whether a participant or spotter, should maintain no less than an arm’s length from the vehicle so they cannot trip or fall into its path.
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. Floats with generators or other possible fire hazards must provide suitable fire extinguishing equipment. No propane tanks or open flames permitted.
17. Parade participants shall not consume alcohol and will refrain from smoking during their participation in the parade.
18. Know your appropriate parade route exit. All parade entries 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.  
19. There will be no premature exiting of the parade route. 
20. All participants must register to participate in the parade.
21. All motorized vehicles participating in the parade must complete a safety check of the brakes, tires, lights, horn, and emissions.

22. Vehicles that will carry individuals should be inspected to ensure that there are no trip hazards or exposed wires or cables on board, and that there is adequate fall prevention mitigation for all riders, such as access to a handrail, tether, or harness for each rider. Even riders sitting on the back of a classic convertible can wedge their feet under a lap belt if one is available.

23. 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

Registration Form

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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. Participant line up is organic and first in, first out. 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 (nearby 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.