Date: Saturday November 16, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Eagle Street and Main Street
Details:
Welcome Santa Claus to Newmarket at our annual Santa Claus Parade.
Bundle up and bring your family and friends to see the festive holiday floats followed by our special guest - jolly Old St. Nick.
Please remember to bring your letter to Santa to be picked up by Canada Post and your non-perishable food item to be collected for the Newmarket Food Pantry.
Parade Float Applications (NOW AVAILABLE):
Please click here to review, download and complete this years 2024 Santa Claus Parade Float Applicaiton.
- The Float Application deadline is Friday, November 1, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
- Only the first 50 applications will be accepted.
- Applications recieved after Friday, November 1, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. will not be considered.
Volunteer Opportunities (NOW AVAILABLE):
Please click here to review and sign up for this years 2024 Santa Claus Parade Volunteer Opportunities.
The Santa Claus Parade Committee is looking for responsible high school students to participate in the parade as Costume Characters and elves as well as adults (ages 18+) to volunteer as Parade Marshals.
Santa Claus Parade Committee - Members Needed:
The Santa Claus Parade Committee is looking for dedicated and hard working Newmarket community members who would be interested in volunteering their time to fullfill the vacancy of Treasurer or Band Coordinator.
Please click on both the Treasurer and Band Coordinator drop downs below to learn more about each position.
If interested or if you have any questions, please contact the Santa Claus Parade Committee by email at [email protected]
TreasurerIn addition to other duties as they may be assigned, the role of the Treasurer includes the following duties:
September/October
- Once confirmed, meet Chair and past Treasurer at the bank to change signing authority.
- Attend committee meetings and provide financial update, also prepare, and present financial statement.
November
- Prepare cheque payments for REACT, bands and other expenses.
On Parade Day (third weekend of November)
- Assist on parade day as marshal.
- Give cheque to REACT.
- Collect receipts.
Band CoordinatorIn addition to other duties as they may be assigned, the role of the Band Coordinator includes the following duties:
July - September
- Contact core bands (recurring groups) and confirm participation.
- Commit to the core group about their participation.
- If some core groups are not returning, look for replacements.
September/October
- Attend committee meetings and provide band updates.
October
- Contact schools and Cadets to determine their participation.
- Assist Float Coordinator with parade set up.
- Make sure the chain will be off at the back of Stuart Scott Public School to allow for parking on parade day.
On Parade Day (third weekend of November)
- The Band Coordinator and Float Coordinator are the people that are at the parade start near Stuart Scott Public School, and it is their job to coordinate the entry of all the floats and bands into the parade start. So, there are no volunteers needed for this role at the parade start.
- Arrive early in front of Stuart Scott Public School to start directing traffic and set the bands up in parade order, two people are needed to control traffic and direct incoming bands (Get a volunteer to assist you).
Safety CoordinatorIn addition to other duties as they may be assigned, the role of the Safety Coordinator includes the following duties:
- Attend scheduled committee meetings.
- Communication lead with Marshals.
- Attend meetings with YRP, Town staff organized by Town staff liaison or Chair.
September
October
- Contact marshals.
- Assign pace vehicle volunteer drivers.
- Organize marshal assignments, responsibilities and assignments.
- Confirm radio's for marshals to borrow on parade day.
November
- Review power point presentation for Safety Meeting.
- Coordinate attendance of REACT at Safety Meeting.
- Prepare written comments for presentation. Deliver presentation at Safety Meeting. Introduce REACT and have them provide comments on the de-staging area.
- Answer questions from attendees at Safety Meeting.
November (week leading up to the parade)
- Forward Marshal assignment document to marshals and answer any questions from marshals.
November (parade day)
- Prepare and present parade information, last minute details, marshal assignment and questions from marshals at Marshal Meeting held at the Town Offices at 8:30 am (suggest marshals arrive at 8:15 with 8:30 am meeting start).
- Stay in contact:
- Parade Chair
- Float Coordinator
- Band Coordinator
- Town Liaisons
- YRP contact
- Town staff (Roads) if applicable
- REACT
- Marshals (with or without radios)
November (post-parade)
- Ensure marshals return vests and red jackets.
- Ensure marshals remove all personal belongings from golf carts.
- Contact marshals to request their thoughts and feedback post parade and bring comments to parade debrief meeting.
- Provide names and addresses to Communication Coordinators so letter of appreciation can be sent to marshals.
Costume CoordinatorIn addition to other duties as they may be assigned, the role of the Safety Coordinator includes the following duties:
JUNE – SEPTEMBER
Contact the costume provider to reserve the date of the Parade and to find out if there are any new costume characters that we may be interested in using. Also check to see if the price is the same as the previous year.
SEPTEMBER
Contact all the students that signed up at the previous parade to be in the current year's parade to see if they are still interested.
Contact the Guidance Counsellor at the local High Schools to see if they will post a notice to let the students that are interested in their Community Service hours know about the parade.
OCTOBER
Town will post on the Santa Claus Parade website that we are looking for high school students for costume characters and elves for the parade.
Contact the costume provider with the list of costumes you wish to use this year and confirm pick up and return date and time. Usually 9am on the Friday before the parade and 9am on the Monday for return.
Contact the people that will be serving the food after the parade.
COSTUME PICK UP DAY
Coordinate with the Town of Newmarket costume pick up and delivery to the Municipal Offices.
DRESS REHEARSAL
Coordinate and manage the costume assignment to the volunteers at the volunteer costumer dress rehearsal session on the Thursday evening prior to the parade.
PARADE DAY
- Arrive around 8 a.m.
- When the students check in with you, highlight their name on the list so you know who has arrived.
- Assist the volunteers get into their costumes.
- Have the students leave their Community Services. sheets with you so that you can have them signed when they get back.
- Meet with the volunteers regarding the rules on the parade route.
- Discuss and confirm Parade plan and logistics
- After the parade, assist volunteers remove their costumes
- Provide volunteers with their Community Services form.
COSTUME DROP OFF DAY
Coordinate with the Town of Newmarket costume pick up and delivery back to the costume provider.
Letters to Santa:
Attendees are encouraged to bring their letters for Santa as members of Canada Post and the Parade Marshalls will be walking throughout the parade, collecting letters, to then be mailed out to the North Pole for jolly Old St. Nick to see.
Food Donations - Newmarket Food Pantry
Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items with them to the parade with all donations going to the Newmarket Food Pantry.
Parade Route:
The parade starts at the corner of Eagle Street and Lorne Avenue, proceeds East on Eagle Street to Main Street, continues North on Main Street to finish at Ontario Street.
Road Closure Notice:
- 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Cane Parkway / Lorne Avenue from William Roe Boulevard to Lorne Avenue.
- 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Andrew Street from Dennie Avenue to Ellen Street.
- 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Eagle Street / Water Street from Helmer Avenue to Prospect Street.
- 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Main Street from Water Street to Davis Drive.
2023 Winning Floats
THE MAYOR'S TROPHY (BEST OVERALL):
Sponsored by Mayor John Taylor's Office
WINNER: 108 HEALTH PROMOTION ASSOCIATION
MOST ORIGINAL FLOAT:
Sponsored by NT Power
WINNER: HURON HEIGHTS SECONDARY SCHOOL - ARTS HURON
BEST COMMERCIAL / BUSINESS FLOAT:
Sponsored by the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce
WINNER: MULBERRY'S OVEN
BEST DANCE / CHEER / BATON:
Sponsored by the Toombs Team Real Estate Group
WINNER: ALPHA CHEER
BEST NON-PROFIT FLOAT:
Sponsored by the Newmarket Main Street BIA
WINNER: THE NEWMARKET SOCCER CLUB
Thank you to our sponsors:
Darcy Toombs, Coldwell Banker The Estate Centre
Photo & Video Release
Media and Town of Newmarket staff will be taking photos and video footage at Town of Newmarket Special Events. These images may be used, re-used and published in news stories, social media and on websites, in addition to distributed to our event partners.
