The jolly old elf himself, the global CEO of Christmas, will be front and centre during the annual Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade.
Thousands of Greater Victoria residents of all ages will line the sidewalks of Government Street Saturday (Nov. 23) to get a glimpse of Mr. Claus and his reindeer, along with dozens of other floats, bands and community group members decked out with Christmas costumes and lighting.
The parade kicks off at 5:45 p.m. from the intersection of Belleville and Government streets and rolls through downtown Victoria to Chatham Street, ending at Store Street near Capital Iron. Attendees are encouraged to dress warmly and line up early, as there’s always a big crowd for the event.
Weather forecasts are calling for a mix of sun and cloud Saturday and temperatures in the low single digits.
Volunteers along the parade route will also be collecting non-perishable food items from crowd members for the Mustard Seed food bank.
For those who want to check out the parade but can’t access the parade route, CHEK-TV will broadcast the event live starting from 6 p.m.
With Christmas just 36 days from now, the city is gearing up for the yuletide with its annual Spirit of the Season in the Square festivities in Centennial Square, beginning this weekend.
n Nov. 23 – Centennial Square Christmas Tree Light-up 4 to 5:30 p.m.
The annual lighting of the giant sequoia tree in Centennial Square. Check out the 75,000 festive LED lights in the square, including the 700 special audio-reactive lights that will transform a large cherry tree into a magical holiday display. Live music will be performed by the Victoria Chamber Choir, City of Gardens Chorus, and Victoria Brass.
n Nov. 24 to Dec. 22 – DVBA Ferris Wheel in Centennial Square
The popular DVBA Ferris wheel in Centennial Square returns. Enjoy views of Victoria from 20 metres up this holiday season on Friday evenings and weekends. Rides $2.
n Dec. 2 to 6 – 48th annual Carolling Week Victoria City Hall, Antechamber, Noon to 12:40 p.m.
This annual tradition showcases choirs from Greater Victoria schools performing favourite Christmas carols at Victoria City Hall.