DRIVE-BY PARADE TRAFFIC JAM
Nearly 1,400 vehicles in Kingsville
Organizers of the Amherstburg and Windsor reverse Santa Claus parades are making changes in hopes of avoiding the traffic mayhem and short tempers — someone even spit on a volunteer — witnessed at the Kingsville procession.
Kingsville officials and the Windsor Parade Corporation, which runs all three events, were caught off guard Saturday when people from around Essex County descended on the town.
“It was a crazy turnout,” said Maggie Durocher with the parade corporation. “How do you know what to expect? We have no benchmark. The turnout was great, though. We're really happy that many people came out. But it's like anything, certainly a learning a curve.”
Kingsville hosted Essex County's first drive-thru Santa Claus Parade as a way of continuing the popular event while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. Instead of having people huddle together along the street watching the parade, floats remained stationary as spectators drove past them in their cars.
No one expected how popular it would be.
“There were people coming from Windsor, Lasalle, Tecumseh, Kingsville, Highway 3, all the way down Division, County Road 20,” said Durocher, who also got stuck in traffic. “Halfway to Leamington was backed up. The turnout was unbelievable. At one point, somebody did relay to us that the lineup on County Road 20 was from the high school to the Albuna Townline.”
Mayor Nelson Santos said Monday that a traffic counter at Kingsville District High School, where people were asked to queue up, counted 1,376 vehicles.
“What an amazing turnout for something uniquely new to us,” said Santos. “I guess you never underestimate the power of Santa and the season.”
But the town heard so many complaints about the wait times that it issued an apology.
“We certainly apologize,” Santos repeated Monday. “Obviously that was never the intention with this event.”
The town said the long waits stemmed partly from “miscommunication on the municipality's part.” Durocher said many people also showed up in the wrong places to join the line.
The parade started early and continued an hour late so as many as people as possible could see it, said Durocher.
“I'm so thankful for the artists, the folks that came out who performed,” she said.
“Can you imagine juggling fire for four hours straight? The fire guy did it. These people stayed. They worked, they believe and they're good to their word.”
The next reverse Santa Claus Parade is in Amherstburg on Saturday. Windsor's event is Dec. 5.
“Given the turnout in Kingsville we're working right now with police services and traffic and engineering to find ways to mitigate that kind of traffic congestion and confusion,” said Durocher.
There will also be a Facebook Live event for the Amherstburg parade. The Windsor parade will be broadcast on Yourtv.
“So people, if they can't get out or they don't want to fight the traffic, they can watch it on TV,” said Durocher.
She hoped those who do attend have patience. She acknowledged there were issues in Kingsville, but added some people need to “give their head a shake.”
“I had one volunteer spit on, twice,” said Durocher. “This is Christmas. We're trying hard in a very stressful year. And the parade corporation has lost everything this year. We lost Summer Fest. We've had to give up our staff, our office. We've got nothing left. We are doing these parades on the last of our budgets.”
Despite the troubles, Durocher said the turnout shows how much people love the parade.
“That's part of why we worked so hard to put these reverse parades together,” she said. “We really believe, and I guess rightfully so, that people are looking for something. We didn't want it to be the year without a Santa.”