Brandon’s Santa Parade fun for all
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/11/2016 (3419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Snuggled together on the curb at Rosser Avenue and Sixth Street, Kathleen Klemetski and her kids had front row seats to the very beginning of the annual Brandon Santa Parade.
“We always get these spots, every year we sit in the same spot,” Klemetski said.
They’ve been coming to the parade for about four or five years, said Klemetski, which is enough for her kids, Montana Geekie-Toule and Emersyn Geekie-Toule, to know what they are most excited to see.
“I like to see all the floats,” Montana said. Emersyn agreed, but added that her particular favourite was Santa and Mrs. Claus.
The floats are also a favourite for eight-year-old Madison and her five-year-old cousin Savannah, who opted out of sitting in their fold-up chairs to dance around and sing Christmas carols.
“I like how (the floats) are decorated,” Madison said. “They’re all so pretty.”
Their grandmother, Charlotte Stoddart, said she’s been coming to the parade for about 10 years now.
“It’s kind of magical, it’s neat doing it at night time,” Stoddart said.
The parade was switched to a evening event about three or four years ago, said parade marshal Lou Van Mulligen, adding it was a very successful move.
“The people on the street appreciate this more … the people who put the floats together are appreciating it more — it has been very well received,” Van Mulligen said.
“Attendance is up and participants are up.”
Van Mulligen has been involved with the Santa Parade for more than 25 years.
He is part of the dedicated group that puts on the event every year, he said, adding that he doesn’t think a lot of people know it’s not something the City of Brandon runs.
“It’s just an independent group of about five or six of us that put this on … and we do it because we love people,” Van Mulligen said.
For Van Mulligen, the parade is more exciting than Christmas Day itself.
“You see the enthusiasm of the people setting up their floats and the music is going — it’s an extreme high,” Van Mulligen said.
“The kids are just laughing and smiling, their eyes are just so big with the lights and music and stuff like that, so when you look at the kids, that’s what makes Christmas. It gets you right in the heart.”
The smiles on the kids’ faces is the reason Brandon’s parade is Santa Claus’s favourite, said the big man himself, adding there’s a heck of a lot of little Brandonites on the nice list this year.
“I can recognize some of the kids and call them by name and that just makes their day, and makes Santa feel really good, too,” Santa said.
“I love the parade because there’s so many people and it’s a start to the festive season. I’m so happy to see so many floats and so many people take part in it …it’s really something special and I look forward to it every year.”
» edebooy@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @erindebooy