Jolly old St. Nick will be making his rounds in the County of Brant as Santa Claus parades make a return in Paris, Burford and St. George over two weekends.
The Paris firefighters will host the area’s first parade on Saturday, December 3, while the Burford Lions Club and St. George firefighters will each host their parades on Saturday, December 10.
“We’re so excited to get to see everyone back in the downtowns for the parade,” said Betty Johnston, a small business owner in Burford. “I know the Lions Club has been working very hard to put it together and we have been getting all of our decorations put up to really make it feel like the holidays. It’s going to be so special to get everyone together again.”
In Paris, the parade has been a 30 year tradition and was taken over by the firefighters this year. Instead of following their usual downtown route, the new route focuses more on the community’s “uptown” area. Starting at 6 p.m., the procession will start from the Canadian Tire plaza and end at the Paris Fairgrounds. In between, it will travel along Trillium Way, Forest Drive, Magnolia Drive, Oak Avenue, Scott Street and Whitlaw Way.
In Burford, the parade will travel the same route as years prior, heading down Potter Drive, King Street and Park Ave, starting at 5 p.m. The procession will end at the Burford Fairgrounds where families are invited to come in to warm up with a hot chocolate or coffee, meet Santa and get a goodie bag.
Firefighters in St. George will host the area’s last parade of the holiday season, kicking off at 6 p.m. on December 10. St. George was the only town to plan a parade in 2021, however it ended up being postponed by poor weather and cancelled by COVID-19 concerns. This year it returns, starting on Beverly Street West, going down High Street to Main Street South, travelling north to Main Street North, and up to Andrew Street.
Each parade will welcome a number of floats and community groups including firefighters, hockey clubs, dance studios and more. Attendees are reminded to dress according to weather and remain a safe distance from roadways. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the areas during the parade times.
