Children along the parade route wave to Santa as he makes his way along Dalhousie Street on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Academy of Dance members (left to right) Olivia Nupoort, Kaila Lowes, Emma Joslyn, Emma Pastai, and Macy Bruce are bundled up in the parade marshalling area on Chatham Street prior to the start of Brantford’s Santa Claus parade on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Kawerine Hill of the Brantford Regional Indigenous Support Center (BRISC) stands by the organization’s float that included an artificial fire that generated smoke signals, an early form of communication, for the Brantford Santa Claus parade’s theme of the 150th anniversary of the telephone on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
A well-lit float by GEM Electrical Services makes its way along Dalhousie Street on Saturday November 30, 2024 during the Santa Claus parade in Brantford.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
A Waste Connections of Canada garbage truck features a recreation of a scene from the movie ET for the Santa Claus parade in downtown Brantford on Saturday November 30, 2024. The theme of this year’s parade celebrated the 150th anniversary of the invention of the telephone.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Ferrero employees and their families walk along the Brantford Santa Claus parade route.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Chad Teather of Cambridge brought his Presa Canario dogs Athena (left) and Lailah to the Brantford Santa Claus parade wearing some festive attire.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
The Grinch high-fives people along the parade route of the Santa Claus parade in downtown Brantford on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Members of the Brant Skating Club make their way along the Santa Claus parade route.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Staff from Kidtastic Indoor Playground and Party Center are bundled up in blackets as they wave from their float on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Eddy and Sarah Deazevedo of Brantford, and their daughters Adison and Macayla watch as Santa approaches on his float during the 2024 Brantford Santa Claus parade on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Adison Deazevedo of Brantford beams with excitement as she waves to Santa on Saturday November 30, 2024 during the 2024 Santa Claus parade in Brantford.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Members of the Brantford Area Jeep and Off Road Club had several decorated vehicles in the Brantford Santa Claus Parade.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Rotary Clowns for Kids members walk along the Brantford Santa Claus parade route on Saturday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
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Despite a frigid temperature of –3 C that felt like –9 thanks to windy conditions, the 2024 Brantford Santa Claus parade was warmly welcomed by thousands of people who lined the two-kilometer parade route on Saturday evening.
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Parade participants and floats marshalled on side streets running east from Stanley Street late Saturday afternoon prior to the parade’s 6 pm start.
Macy Bruce, aged 11, of Brantford was among dozens of Academy of Dance members who gathered on Chatham Street.
“We worked hard on it,” she said of the dance company’s jazz number that has been worked on over the last several weeks. “We did a couple of Saturdays going outside when it was really cold, to practice for a while.”
Dancing since the age of three, Bruce said it was her first time taking part in a Santa Claus parade.
“I have two layers of pants on, three shirts and a jacket, and then a toque and a Santa hat,” she shared while huddled under a blanket. “I’m excited to get it done because I’m freezing.”
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Nearby, the Brantford Regional Indigenous Support Center float was undergoing finishing touches.
“It takes a team, and everyone did a great job,” noted BRISC reaching home coordinator Kawerine Hill. “We decorated three hours before getting here and we’re still decorating.”
The theme of this year’s parade was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone, and the BRISC float was decorated with several homemade telephone decorations. At the rear sat a teepee and artificial fire. A smoke machine was used to symbolize smoke signals, an early form of communication among Indigenous peoples.
Also aboard the float – provided by Glenn Styres Racing — were the Ninjiichaag Singers from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who sat around a drum to perform during the parade.
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In downtown Brantford the parade route was lined thick with adults and children, many of whom brought blankets and chairs.
“It’s my first time. It’s good so far and I’m enjoying it,” said Simran Singh. “We moved to Brantford last year from Montreal. I spent four years there but never got a chance to see a parade there. I wanted to experience it.”
Singh’s wife Sukhdeep Kaur added that the parade was “beautiful and lovely” and liked how it brought the community together.
Sarah and Eddy Deazevedo brought their daughters Adison and Macayla to watch the parade. The family moved to Brantford from Mississauga eight years ago.
“We love the parade,” Sarah said, noting that she hadn’t experienced a Santa Claus parade prior to coming to Brantford. “We haven’t missed a year since we moved here. It’s like Hallowe’en all over again with the (candy) handouts.”
Shawn Stemmler has been involved helping to organize the parade since high school and became involved for 15 years with former parade organizer Brantford JCI, serving as parade chair in 2015. He has taken on a consulting role now for Freedom House that has run the parade for two years, after they took over from the City of Brantford.
“The police are fantastic with supporting us, and the City of Brantford as well,” he said. “It’s still a great event and we get tons of people.’
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