Families lined the streets of Kitchener-Waterloo on Monday morning for the annual K-W Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade, a longstanding tradition celebrating the holiday and bringing the community together. The parade began at 9:30 a.m. on Weber Street near Frederick Street in Kitchener before travelling toward Bridgeport Road in Waterloo. “My daughter loves pointing out to the blow up [floats], those are her favourite,” said an attendee. “She loves pointing them all out. Oh, the music too! We really like that. You can really tell the dedication and the effort people put into making [the parade] successful.” Spectators watched colourful floats, marching bands and performers make their way along the route, with many families returning for another year of Thanksgiving festivities. “It really is something special,” said K-W Oktoberfest President, Darryl Fletcher, known to many as “Chef D.” “To see all these happy faces bright and early on a Monday morning, and to see folks gather from near and far to soak in the festivities... it means the world.” For some, the parade is an annual family tradition. “I’ve been coming to Oktoberfest for years,” said one attendee, who was watching the parade with her family. “What I love about it is that it gives us a chance to do something as a family, [and it] brings the community together... I have fond memories of going to parades as a child. I wasn’t from Kitchener originally, but since I moved to Kitchener when I was a university student, it’s just something that has such community spirit. And it’s fun seeing all of the different groups that come out to support Kitchener-Waterloo.” Others travelled from outside the region to take part in the celebration. “For us, it’s bringing our family together,” another attendee said. “It’s an excuse to get everyone - aunts, uncles, cousins - from far away, like Quebec, and other people, from Kitchener-Waterloo, together.” A special guest leads the parade This year’s grand parade marshal was Sharon Hampson of the beloved children’s music group Sharon, Lois & Bram. “This is a new experience for me. This parade marshal thing,” Hampson said. “I think it’s quite remarkable.” Hampson was joined by her daughter, Randi, and Elephant, the iconic character associated with the group, bringing a nostalgic touch to the Thanksgiving celebration. “I had no idea the extent of this festival, the degree of response to to it,” she said. “I’m happy to be part of something that brings families together, to have fun, to be with each other.” Celebrating community and giving back Alongside the festivities, the Onkel Hans Food Drive collected non-perishable food items and monetary donations along the parade route in support of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Organizers also thanked the hundreds of volunteers who helped bring the annual event to life. The Thanksgiving Day Parade remains one of the region’s signature Oktoberfest events, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to celebrate together and carry on traditions across generations. “There’s a lot of people that have been a part of the parade or a part of the Oktoberfest celebrations over the years, so there’s a piece of nostalgia coming back to it. It’s almost like a homecoming for them,” an attendee said.
