Oakville Santa Claus Parade this Saturday

The Oakville Santa Claus Parade will be back to delight children of all ages this Saturday.

First held in 1948, with credit to the first organizer of the event – Bill Hughes, then President of the Junior Chamber of Commerce – the parade originated as a way to encourage business in downtown Oakville.

Seventy-five years later the Oakville Santa Claus Parade is still providing the community with an opportunity to come together to participate or just to watch, bringing joy to the young and young at heart.

This year’s parade, which has a theme of ‘Holiday Movie and Icons.’ will be held November 18 and the Oakville Kinsmen will be collecting non-perishable food donations for Oakville community food banks for the 33rd straight year.

As well as food and cash donations, the Kinsmen will also be accepting debit and credit card donations (by Tap).

Ther will also be a free Santa Shuttle that will run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. every 5-10 minutes from Oakville GO to Trafalgar Park Community Centre.

After taking the free Santa shuttle, parade goers can get their spot along the route to take in the sights and sounds of the floats and, of course, Santa himself.

Coordinated in association with the Town of Oakville, the event is rain or shine.

To facilitate the parade and all the floats there will be road closures in effect from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. through the downtown and Kerr Village:

• Deane Avenue from Maurice Drive to Kerr Street
• Felan Avenue from Stewart Street to Rebecca Street
• Kerr Street from Lakeshore Road to Stewart Street
• Lakeshore Road from Allan Street to Brant Street
• Rebecca Street from Dorval Drive to Forsythe Street
• Robinson Street from Navy Street to Allan Street
• Stewart Street from Kerr Street to Maurice Drive

Detour routes will use Chartwell Road, Allan Street, Cornwall Road / Speers Road, Dorval Drive and Fourth Line.