The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade is a major Christmas event with floats, marching bands and Santa in downtown Vancouver on Sunday, December 3, 2017.
2017 Santa Claus Parade
The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade is an annual tradition that attracts over 300,000 people in good years. The event typically lasts for a couple of hours and features over 2500 participants, five dozen community organizations and hundreds of volunteers.
The parade is a free event, although spectators are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food or money donation benefiting the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Each year the event collects considerable amounts of money and tons of food for the charity and the tens of thousands of people it supports.
In short, the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade is a fabulously festive event that’s especially popular with young families and that benefits a great cause!
2017 Parade Details
Below are details about the Christmas parade in 2017 including information about the parade route, start time, related family-friendly activities and the history of the event.
The parade itself starts at noon and lasts for around 2 hours. Starting at around 10 o’clock in the morning there is also pre-parade family-friendly entertainment outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Parade Route
Beginning at 12 o’clock, the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade begins at Broughton Street before proceeding along Georgia Street and then down Howe Street until Davie.
Christmas Square Activities
Free pre-parade activities for families take place by the Vancouver Art Gallery from 10:00 am until parade time, and sometimes even after.
The Christmas Square event happens in the plaza on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery on Georgia Street. At the free event there is face painting, a station where children can write letters to Santa Claus, and live music featuring the band LeftCoast.
Parade History
In 2017 the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade celebrates its 14th season! It almost didn’t though.
For years Rogers had been the event’s title sponsor, but the communications giant finished doing that 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 and so the tradition continues! Thanks for saving Christmas Telus!
