Santa parade hits road on Saturday
Lighted floats, community groups and Santa himself will all be in the parade lineup Saturday in downtown Victoria.
The Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade begins at 5 p.m. at Government and Belleville streets, and continues to Government and Chatham streets. Last year was the first with the 5 p.m. start.
The parade, now in its 37th year, switched from a daytime affair to an after-dark event in 1998, thanks to the efforts of the late Ron Butlin. It’s billed as Canada’s largest lighted parade, and last year was made up of 75 entries and about 20 floats.
As has become a parade tradition, donations of money and non-perishable food will be collected from the crowd for the Mustard Seed Street Church. Mustard Seed spokeswoman Janiene Boice said the contributions made at the parade come at a crucial time of year.
“In the months of November and December, we raise 70 per cent of our annual funds, as well as 40 per cent of our annual food donations,” Boice said. “The events that kick off the season of giving like this parade are a big deal for us.
“We really appreciate it, for sure.”
Last year’s parade brought in about 3,630 kilograms of food.
Donations are collected by volunteers who walk along the parade route and deposit them in a Mustard Seed van. This year, Island Savings Credit Union is supplying volunteers to assist the Mustard Seed crew.
Boice said the Mustard Seed also participates in the parade by decorating one of its trucks.
As well, the Mustard Seed will be part of festivities from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at Centennial Square, which is where Santa will be heading after the parade to hand out free milk and cookies. The square’s holiday lights will be switched on at 7 p.m.
Parade stalwart Rob Galey of Galey Farms is at the helm of two entries, including the Island Farms float that will carry Santa.
Work on that float and two others under the Galey Farms banner has been underway since last Friday.
“We’ve been going on it pretty hard,” he said. “There’s seven of us.”
Galey said the float-making has come during a busy time on the farm.
Fields are plowed at this time of year and there were plenty of potatoes that had to be graded for sale.
“We’re doing our best to make a good show for the kids.”
Last year’s joint effort combining Galey Farms and Stages Dance Company is back, with dancers performing a Polar Express piece between a Galey Farms candy-factory-themed float and a second float featuring an ice sculpture. The dancers’ music will come from sound systems on the two floats.