SANTA TRADES SLEIGH FOR TUG BOAT

Santa Claus is mobbed by children after arriving in Port Colborne Saturday afternoon on the pilot boat J.W. Cooper. He was greeted by hundreds of children along West Street. He and the children walked to the Guild

Hall where he listened to their Christmas wishes before going the annual lighted Santa Claus parade later in the day.

When the weatherman calls for rain, it’s best to be prepared.

It’s something the guest of honour at Port Colborne’s Santa Claus Parade took to heart Saturday night as the man in red made sure he had his umbrella on hand.

For a while, it seemed the forecast rain would hold off. But in the minutes leading up to the 6:30 p.m. starting time, it came.

Like Santa, Welland’s Susan DeCicco and her niece, Stevensville’s Maya Groulx, were ready. Seated along Clarence Street, the duo stayed dry under a large clear plastic umbrella.

DeCicco, who is originally from Port Colborne, said she had no choice but to brave the elements as her granddaughter is in Girl Guides, one of the 54 parade entries — she had to be here rain or shine.

However, DeCicco said she would have come anyway, as she comes every year. She said she likes the atmosphere created by the nighttime parade.

“With all the lights on the floats it’s just pretty,” she said.

While most people would rather the rain stay away, it ended up benefiting retailer The Bargain! Shop, which had a run on umbrellas. Assistant manager Sharon Macsweyn said the store sold seven in the moments leading up to the start time.

“Eight, nine, 10,” she said as a customer purchased another three.

It turns out the rain, which went away for a good portion of the parade only to return towards the end, did little to keep the crowds away. Paradegoers were treated to a smorgasbord of entries, all lit up in a festive glow.

Festive didn’t exactly come to mind with every float, however. On Port Colborne Auxiliary Marine Rescue’s (POCOMAR) stood a giant dinosaur. Asked what it had to do with Christmas — or POCOMAR for that matter, Mike Speck said it’s all about giving the crowd what it wants.

“The kids absolutely love it,” he said. “I don’t know why, but they do.”

And sure enough, as the entry headed down the street, children could be heard roaring.

DAVE JOHNSON THE WELLAND TRIBUNE

PHOTOS: MIKE ZETTEL PORT COLBORNE LEADER Santa Claus comes prepared for the weather for Saturday night’s parade in his honour in Port Colborne. While rain held off for most of the evening, it came down fairly heavy towards the end.

Josephine Lawrence and Sirus Thibault of W2 Dance Studio.