Santa Claus is coming to town for the annual Christmas festival and parade in Maple Ridge.
The Maple Ridge Christmas Festival Society’s 22nd annual Santa Claus Parade and Christmas In the Park will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Memorial Peace Park.
The free, family event will see the park decorated with an array of Christmas lights.
There will be Santa photos, in the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre’s Alder Room, and also Grinch photos, in the park.
Jacob Dryden and his band Quickness will be taking the reins with the live entertainment, getting festival goers in the holiday spirit.
1st Haney Scout Group will be handing out free hot chocolate and apple cider in the park.
There will also be cookie decorating and UPlan will be out featuring their Youth Tank, where aspiring youth entrepreneurs can pitch their business ideas for a chance at getting their venture funded.
Six food trucks will be on site, featuring everything from burgers, to poutine, to vegan fare. For dessert there will be, ice cream, cotton candy, cinnamon buns and, of course, mini doughnuts.
Holiday shopping can be done at the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association Christmas market, taking place in the park from 4 to 8 p.m., where people will find unique gifts and handcrafted items.
There will be a mailbox for children to drop off their letters to Santa. It will be located on the southeast portion of the park.
At 6 p.m. there will be the lighting of the Christmas tree in the southwest side of the park, and the Santa Claus parade will begin.
This year, there are 40 parade entries, including the Royal Canadian Legion’s Branch 88, Maple Ridge Fire & Rescue, Ridge Meadows RCMP, scout groups, local businesses, dance groups, and sports teams, all which will make their way east from Plaza Street along Dewdney Trunk Road and then south along 224 Street.
Of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be making an appearance this year. They will be on a horse and carriage.
New this year will be a sensory viewing area to watch the parade. It’s located along Dewdney Trunk Road, between Plaza Street and Garden Street, where people who may be a little overwhelmed by loud noises or flashing lights can enjoy the festivities as well, explained Trish Coft, president of the Maple Ridge Christmas Festival Society.
“We are going to ask all of our parade entries to keep the air horns off, flashing lights off, music to a minimum, just so that we’ve got an inclusive space that everybody feels comfortable viewing the parade,” said Coft.
And, when Santa and Mrs. Claus pass T’s Once Upon a Tea Leaf, along 224 Street, the carriage will stop, Santa will touch the air, and there will be some holiday magic, Coft added.
Donations to the Friends in Need Food Bank and the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society will also be collected at the event.
“Our team of volunteers and staff will be pushing shopping carts in this year’s Santa parade collecting cash and non-perishable food donations,” said Friends In Need Food Bank general manager Evan Seal.
“The Santa parade is an important annual fundraising event for the Friends In Need, and I hope families will come out and help us celebrate the start of the holiday season,” he added.
A tent will be located in front of the bandstand where there will be a collection point for both the charities.
“It’s going to be a great event,” said Coft.