By: Aldo Santin Winnipeg Free Press
IT will be a special moment when Santa's sleigh finally turns the corner at Portage and Main this evening, signalling the climax to this year's Santa Claus parade.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of the Santa Claus parade in Winnipeg.
"This will be a special year," parade manager Ron Mark said. "We're calling it 100 for 100... 100 floats for 100 years.
It will be the biggest Santa parade ever." The parade begins at 5 p.m. in front of the CBC building on Portage Avenue at Young Street.
Mark said new features this year are Santa's Block Parties -- at least one for every block on the 15-block parade route through downtown.
Companies and organizations had been approached to sponsor a party, organizing entertainment and games.
"Not one turned us down, they all loved the idea," Mark said.
The block parties begin at 4 p.m., keeping the crowds entertained until the parade starts.
A special supplement in today's Free Press includes a map of the parade route and marks the times when affected streets in the downtown will be closed.
Main Street will be closed between McDermot Avenue and St. Mary Avenue beginning at 3:30 p.m. and remains closed until the parade clears the downtown area. Portage Avenue, from Sherbrook Street eastward, will be closed at 3 p.m.
The Santa parade was introduced in Canada in 1905 by the Eaton's department store chain in Toronto. Eaton's staged the Winnipeg parade in 1909, complementing the Santa's village display it staged at its downtown store.
Responsibility for the parade has switched hands over the years. The Winnipeg Jaycees took over the parade in 1975 and in 2004 the Jaycees joined with Manitoba Hydro as principal sponsors.
The parade also switched from an early afternoon event to a late afternoon early evening affair. That move meant every float had to be lighted. Mark said his research has found Winnipeg's Santa parade is the country's largest lighted parade.
The parade will be kicked off by Louie the Lightning Bug, the Manitoba Hydro mascot, followed by several dignitaries and special guests led by Lt.-Gov. Phillip Lee.
Today's Santa Claus parade to enjoy balmy weather
By SUN MEDIA
It's beginning to look a lot like ... September?
The weather for today's Santa Claus Parade has to be considered an early Christmas gift for Winnipeggers.
The forecast calls for sunny skies with a daytime high of 6 C and the temperature should still be above the freezing mark when Saint Nick makes his way down Portage Avenue for the annual holiday parade, which gets underway at 5 p.m. from the corner of Portage and Young Street.
This winter delay we've been enjoying the past week or so looks to have some staying power to it. Sunshine is on tap for the next seven days, with temperatures ranging from 3 C tomorrow to a balmy 10 C on Tuesday.
The normal high is -1 C, with lows reaching -9 C.
While outdoor destinations like The Forks and Assiniboine Park Zoo enjoy unusually high numbers of visitors for this time of year, the continued dry, warmish weather has some Winnipeg businesses basking in the glow of increased sales.
"Normally I would have expected winter to kick in at the end of October, but I'm not complaining," said Mike McDermott, owner of Green Apple Skateboard Shop on Corydon Avenue. "Kids are still getting gear for this year, which is pretty amazing.
"Even on Corydon, the patios are still open and people walking around eating gelati. Who knows how long it will last?"
Youths aren't the only ones enjoying the reprieve from the cold.
Bike shops are more than happy to outfit commuters for gear suited for this unseasonable weather, as are retail running providers.
"People are a little confused how to dress for this time of year," said Lynn Glowach, owner of the Running Room on Pembina Highway. "People usually have layers and layers on at this time of the year, but it's not a normal situation.
"Enjoy it while you can."
