The Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade is like watching your favourite Christmas movies play out right before your eyes.
Think of Saturday night’s spectacle as the Miracle on Government Street, 73 floats, festooned with lights and sparkles, winding through the streets of Victoria.
In the finale, Santa waves at the crowd and eight-year-old Maxime Camaraire stands wide-eyed, waving and jumping up and down.
And the grand finale, Santa himself caps off the parade, which just happens to named after him. Eight-year-old Maxime had his eyes wide and jumped up and down, waving to Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Saint Nick. pic.twitter.com/zOYKjqqiEX
— Katie DeRosa (@katiederosayyj) November 25, 2018
His mom, Francis Fournier, said Maxime and his 10-year-old brother were looking forward to Santa and the brightly coloured trucks.
“He’s so excited, he loves it,” the Saanich mom said of her younger son. “We just did the Uptown [Christmas parade], now this one, and next week we’re doing the truck parade.”
The parade has a way of turning even the biggest Grinch into the most upbeat George Bailey. Chalk it up to the dancers twirling behind the Polar Express-inspired Galey Farms float, the high school marching bands and their illuminated instruments, and the kids singing along to Run Rudolph Run.
The parade, in its 37th year, kicked off in front of the legislature at 5 p.m., heading north along Government Street to Chatham Street. An estimated 60,000 people lined the route.
Billed as the largest nighttime Santa parade in Canada, the event is organized by the Greater Victoria Festival Society. That it also serves as an important food drive for the Mustard Seed Street Church is something you can’t shrug off with a bah humbug.
Victoria residents Jillian and Steven Peters brought their five-year-old, Kashis, to the parade for the first time. “He’s just losing his mind,” Steven Peters said of his son, who was sporting a Christmas light headband.
Ben Riddett stood atop a flower planter to get an unimpeded view of the antique fire trucks and the Greater Victoria Police Pipe Band.
Dad Matthew Riddett said Ben, who has autism, loves parades. “So we tried to stake out a spot where he could see.”
Thousands flocked to Centennial Square, recast as “Christmas Square,” after the parade. Kids jostled for pictures of Santa, who, in a reversal of roles, was dishing out milk and cookies.
At 7:06 p.m., Santa and acting mayor Charlayne Thornton-Joe flipped the switch to light up the giant sequoia outside city hall.
Santa and acting #Victoria mayor Charlayne Thornton-Joe lead a rendition of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer before flicking the switch to turn on the lights of the giant sequoia in Christmas Square, also known as Centennial Square. #SantaParade pic.twitter.com/p8LMTPUJiM
— Katie DeRosa (@katiederosayyj) November 25, 2018
3-2-1, Santa lights up Christmas Square. #santaparade pic.twitter.com/dUZ78deca7
— Katie DeRosa (@katiederosayyj) November 25, 2018
Greater Victoria Festival Society executive director Kelly Kurta said she’s heard nothing but positive feedback.
“All we’ve heard is this is the best parade ever. Everyone got into the spirit. We’re officially declaring Christmas in Victoria open.”
