How to enjoy (or avoid) the Santa Claus Parade

Toronto’s longest running tradition will bring early holiday cheer this weekend.

With more than 25 themed floats, the 109th Santa Claus Parade will hit the downtown streets Sunday, Nov. 17.

If you want to get a prime spot, make sure you get there early. The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. at Bloor and Christie Streets. The floats make their way downtown passing the ROM, the Eaton Centre and making the final stop at the St. Lawrence Market.

Plan your day:

Having your day planned out may ease the pain of maneuvering through large crowds with your family. For instance, know where to park if you are driving. Better yet, you might want to ditch your car, save money on parking, and opt for a special-price GO day passes for travel to and from the parade or a TTC day pass.

GO Transit will also be running a special schedule for the parade.

Area to avoid:

There are plenty of spots to catch the parade but you should avoid the Yonge and Dundas area. Think about it: On any given day, that area is busy with people shopping at the Eaton Centre and going about daily business. Add Santa Claus parade madness to that and forget about even catching a glimpse of the man in red.

Your best bet would be to get to the area of the start of the parade early to not miss the action as it starts.

If you’d prefer to watch the parade from the comfort of your own home, CTV will broadcast the annual holiday parade at 4:30 p.m. ET and 5:30 p.m.

Activities around the parade:

Explore the ROM: Swing by the Royal Ontario Museum with the kids before or after the parade check out the ‘Animal Explorers’ scavenger hunt series for kids ages 12 and under.

Go skating: The Natrel Rink is tucked away behind York Quay Centre is set to open Nov. 16 weather permitting. Skating is free but there’s an on-site rental service for skates if you don’t have any. Address: 235 Queens Quay West

Shop: There are plenty of options: The Eaton Centre, St. Lawrence Market, Kensington Market, or Chinatown are just a few of the popular shopping destinations downtown.

Run: This year marks the launch of the ‘Holly Jolly Fun Run,’ a 5K run which starts at noon on Bloor Street just east of Bathurst Street. It follows the same route and will be just ahead of the parade.

How to avoid the parade:

Santa is set to arrive at 12:30 p.m. with festivities expected to last between 2.5 to 3 hours. Although there’s no complete way of avoiding the parade, below is a map of the route so you can plan your trips accordingly:

MyNews: Send us your pictures of the Santa Claus Parade!