Beaches Santa Claus Parade will not take place this year due to number of challenges

Despite earlier hopes that it would be able to take place this month, the Beaches Santa Claus Parade has been cancelled for the third year in a row.

The parade did not take place in November of 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there had been plans in the works for it to return for 2022.

A date of Sunday, Nov. 27, had even been set for the parade along Kingston Road.

However, in an email sent on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 9, parade organizers Community Centre 55 let those planning on participating that it would not be taking place this year.

The email cited staffing gaps at Community Centre 55, many new parade vendors and extremely high costs of resources needed to make the event take place as reasons why the parade would not take place. The decision was made by the board of Community Centre 55.

The email said Community Centre 55 is looking forward to hosting the parade next year and having the challenges sorted out.

The Beaches Santa Claus Parade has been taking place since 2006, and is traditionally seen as the kick-off to the Share A Christmas fundraising campaign. Community Centre 55’s Share A Christmas Program helps out approximately 1,000 East Toronto families in need over the holidays.

For more information on how to volunteer for or make a donation to Share A Christmas, please go to the Community Centre 55 website at https://www.centre55.com/