School floats wanted for the annual Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade

This year, the Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade will be bigger, bolder and brighter than ever! With funding from local sponsors Allstate Insurance, Barrhaven Optometric Centre, Dean Ryans, Monarch Homes, Pharmasave Green Street and Fallowfield locations, Ross’ Independent Grocer, Royal Lepage Team Realty and Trade Secrets, the parade has continued to grow in popularity and size, adding new and better floats with each year. Today this volunteer-run parade sees a variety of different entries including elaborate floats, marching bands, entertainers and costumed characters, all lit up to the delight of our more than 30,000 spectators.

Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade
The Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade is encouraging local schools to enter their very own floats in this year’s edition of the event.

The afternoon of the parade, float participants will meet at St. Emily School on Chapman Mills Drive and move along Beatrice to Strandherd Road at 5:30 pm to entertain young and old alike! Local businesses will treat spectators with complimentary hot drinks and snacks along the parade route at designated areas. The parade ends with Santa himself, of course, and will finish in the Strandherd Park and Ride. This is a well-loved community event that delights so many residents of our community and those from neighboring areas. We are proud to present this wonder-filled event!

The parade committee is pleased to provide our School Bursary Awards.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, there are two $1,000.00 bursaries for two winning school entries. We invite both elementary and secondary schools in Barrhaven to participate in this year’s parade. Each entrant’s float & music must relate to the Christmas season. This year, we will provide a bus at the Park and Ride to shuttle participants back to the start area.

We understand that the thought of building a float can be daunting. So, we have put together some basic suggestions to help you. Building a float is not as hard as you might think – the hardest part is coming up with a theme. The most important thing about building your float is to have fun doing it. Volunteer float-building can be a great bonding experience for your school. Cars, trucks, golf carts,
small utility trailers, wagons, flat bed trailers – any of these make a great base for your float!

We’ve added some tips to our website at www.SantaClausBarrhaven.com. You can also find great ideas on the Internet and especially on Pinterest! Get your students in involved in both the creative development of your idea and the building of the float as well. Explain to them that they are helping those in need at a special time of year. Each year, the Parade raises thousands of dollars in cash and supplies for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard.

We look forward to your school’s community participation and spirit! Join our unique parade of lights with amazing floats, marching bands and, of course, Santa Claus greeting everyone from his float! Invite your family, neighbors and friends to cheer your float on and share in the warmth and excitement of the Christmas spirit that will once again be alive in Barrhaven next month. Register your float for free at www.SantaClausBarrhaven.com. Contact the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area for more information – execdirector @ barrhavenbia.ca. See you at the parade!