'Let's have some joy': Santa Claus parade returns to Bradford

It would be hard to find anyone with more Christmas spirit than Liz Pegg.

The recently retired owner of the Bradford Pet Valu franchise has helped organize the town’s Santa Claus parade for more than two decades. She’s one of the masterminds behind Santa’s sleigh and the Bradford Lions Club float.

This year, she’s tinkering in her workshop on a new Snoopy’s Christmas float for Pet Valu and its new operator, her daughter Jennifer.

“The first float we built was Santa's; it's one-of-a-kind,” Liz said. "That started us. This is my third float. When anybody says they don't know what to do, I always say 'a bale of hay with lights on it is magic'. A little imagination and a whole lot of lights goes a long, long way when you're building a float. You're only limited by your imagination; once you've got a theme you can run wild with it. (Snoopy’s Christmas) has been on the back of my mind for a few years."

The annual parade will usher in the Jolly Old Elf and the holiday season as it rolls through the town core Nov. 18 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Billed as the municipality’s “greatest holiday tradition,” this event is expected to draw thousands of spectators. 

Representatives from 50 local businesses, service groups and government organizations will bring to life this show under the stars with wonderfully decorated floats and vehicles, town leisure events and marketing supervisor Bethany Kuboniwa said.

“We’re excited,” she said. “One of the great things about the parade is that it’s at night. Just being able to see all the entries with lights all the way down the street creates a very magical, festive feel. It is very exciting to see the number of Bradford residents that come out to watch the parade — certainly we get a number of people out from other municipalities as well. (It) has a pretty good reputation.”

Letters to Santa will be collected along the route. Remember to put the return address on the envelope so children can get a response. All letters should be addressed to “Santa Claus, ℅ The North Pole, HOH OHO.”

Also this year, town council will award prizes for the best overall, commercial/business and non-profit floats. 

The nearly two-kilometre route starts at Bradford District High School on Professor Day Drive, turns east on Holland and goes south on Simcoe Road, ending at the Bradford and District Memorial Community Centre.

This parade is expected to run between one and 1.5 hours.

“Without the entries from the community, there wouldn’t be a parade; it’s great to see them putting that time in,” Kuboniwa said. “Just dress for the weather — dress warm.”

Pegg is happy to see the parade growing again after organizers took a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"We do this for the kids," she said. "To be able to walk the route every year and see the smiles, see the excitement ... you just can't have a bad day when you do something like this. It's time we get people back together. Let's have some joy. I'm well into my 70s now, but as long as I can put one foot in front of the other, you'll find me out on the route having a ball."

A temporary road closure will be in effect for the southbound lanes of Professor Day, between Northgate Drive and Holland, starting at 4 p.m. That stretch will close fully from 5:30 to 9 p.m., along with Holland from Professor Day to Simcoe, and Simcoe from Holland to Edward streets. 

Also of note, no parking is allowed along the direct parade route.

For more details on the event, visit townofbwg.com.