Thousands turn out for annual Beaches Easter Parade

Thousands of locals took part in the annual Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade on Sunday, April 20, 2014.

The streets in a section of Toronto were filled with bright colours and festive cheer as thousands of residents lined Queen Street East for the annual Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade held Sunday afternoon.

The annual event, which draws more than 50,000 spectators, featured hundreds of colourful floats, marching bands and droves of volunteers handing out candies to eager parade-goers.

“I love it, I come every year,” said one woman taking in the parade from the sidelines.

“We usually just go for an Easter egg hunt at an old farm and this is a lot more fun I think,” added a father watching the festivities with his young daughter.

The two-kilometre parade began at Munro Park at 2 p.m. and travelled along Queen Street East to Woodbine Avenue.

The popular parade made waves earlier this month after organizers banned all elected officials and mayoral candidates from attending the event.

Organizers from the Toronto Beaches Lions Club said they wanted the parade to focus on the families in attendance, not candidates campaigning for votes.

Parade director Keith Begley told CTV Toronto that organizers are looking to keep the parade a politics-free zone.

“We don’t have any problems if they would like to come and march and just say ‘Happy Easter’ to people,” he said. “But when politics gets brought into it, it’s something we’re not about.”

This is the first time an invitation to the parade has not been extended to sitting politicians.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who had purchased 10,000 candy eggs to hand out to children at the parade, told reporters in early April that he respected the organization’s decision and would not attend the event.

"They don’t want to turn it political and I understand that. It’s a service club, it’s for the kids and I respect their decision," Ford told reporters at City Hall soon after the announcement was made.

Ford said he would donate the eggs to the Lakeshore Lions Club instead and they can donate them to the Beaches Lions Club if they choose.

Nancy Moore, an attendee at the parade, told CTV Toronto she believes the organization made the right decision.

“There’s a time and place for everything. They (politicians) have their time, this is for the kids,” she said.

With a report by CTV Toronto’s Zuraidah Alman