Vancouver Santa Claus Parade

The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade was a major Christmas event. It had floats, marching bands and Santa in downtown Vancouver on the first Sunday in December.

PARADE STATUS

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Christmas parade in Vancouver was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. The parade didn’t happen in 2022 either because it didn’t have a title sponsor, and this was the case again in 2023. The event is once again cancelled in 2024.

Although the Vancouver event isn’t happening, Christmas parades do take place in different communities including in Chilliwack, Maple Ridge, Mission and Surrey. For details about Santa Claus parades in other communities, click Lower Mainland Santa Claus Parades.

Santa Claus Parade

The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade was an annual tradition that attracted over 300,000 people in good years. The event typically lasted for a couple of hours and featured over 2,500 participants, 60 community organizations and hundreds of volunteers.

The parade was a free event, although spectators were encouraged to bring a non-perishable food or money donation benefiting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Each year the event collected considerable amounts of money and tons of food for the charity and the tens of thousands of people it supports.

The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade was a fabulously festive event that was especially popular with young families and benefitted a great cause. Sadly, it hasn’t happened for years and it’s unknown whether it will return one day.

Parade Details

Below are details about what the Christmas parade looked like in a typical year including information about the parade route, start time, related family-friendly activities and the history of the event.

In years when it did take place, the parade itself usually started at noon and lasted for around two hours. Around 60 marching bands, floats, dance groups and community organizations participated.

Starting at around 10:00 am there was also pre-parade family-friendly entertainment outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Parade Route

The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade began at Broughton Street before proceeding along Georgia Street and then down Howe Street until Davie.

In total, from start to finish, the parade route was about two kilometres long.

Santa Parade Pre Event — Activities at Christmas Square

Christmas Square Activities

Free pre-parade activities for families took place by the Vancouver Art Gallery from 10:00 am until parade time.

The Christmas Square event happened in the plaza on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery on Georgia Street. At the free event there was usually face painting, a station where children could write letters to Santa Claus and live music.

Parade History

In 2019 the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade celebrated its 16th season! The event hasn’t happened since, and it almost got cancelled before the pandemic even happened.

For years Rogers had been the event’s title sponsor, but the communications giant pulled its support in 2016. Facing a consequent budget shortfall, the event was almost cancelled in 2017. Rival telecommunications giant TELUS, however, came to the event’s rescue. Since the pandemic though, no sponsor has stepped in to revive the parade.

Rainy Day Santa Parade — Santa Claus Parade on a Rainy Day

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most out of your experience at the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, should it return.

TIP #1: Get downtown early, like as much as an hour before the start, to get a good spot. After the parade begins, especially in the most popular areas, the crowds along the street get formidably thick!

TIP #2: Assuming you arrive early enough to claim a good viewing location, take a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Also, don’t forget your camera, and an umbrella in case it looks like rain!

TIP #3: Dress warmly, pack a thermos of hot chocolate, and take a book or a well-charged phone to keep you comfortable and entertained while you wait for the show.

TIP #4: If you have young children, go extra early and check out the activities in the Christmas Square outside the Vancouver Art Gallery before the parade. Don’t stay there too long, though, as you’ll want to find a place your kids can see from along the parade route before the sidewalks get too overly packed.

TIP #5: The most crowded areas along the parade route are usually near and along Georgia Street, as well as the first half of the end of the route along Howe Street. Most years the least crowded areas are near the beginning and end of the route.