Community shows its giving spirit at Santa Claus Parade

The 2023 Huntsville Santa Claus Parade took place on November 24 and not only brought a sense of holiday spirit to the area but also served as a great testament to the diverse and inclusive community the town of Huntsville and surrounding areas really are.

The air was cold and the sky was dark but crowds gathered along Huntsville’s main street in extraordinary numbers. The downtown strip was lined with families and friends of all ages and the anticipation and excitement was evident among all.

The sponsors of this year’s parade – the Rotary Club of North Muskoka and Huntsville-Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce – led the festivities with their own banner and float, followed by an appearance by Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison. Subsequently, the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department and Muskoka Paramedic vehicles rolled proudly down the street. The remaining duration of the parade was full of fun, colourful, and imaginative floats, each one properly and creatively showcasing the business or company they represented.

Members of JJ Dance Performing Arts Studio and Muskoka Dance Academy performed impressive and interactive dance routines for the crowd. Cameron of Lochiel Pipe and Drum Band marched through the town with their instruments, demonstrating their musical skills. The Huntsville Theatre Company float gave onlookers a taste of their upcoming show A Christmas Carol, as Scrooge rolled down the street in his nightcap, yelling a firm “Bah Humbug” at anyone who looked his way.

Many participants made appearances as other iconic holiday characters such as the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, gingerbread men, the Nutcracker, and even Spiderman.

Local dog walking company Muskoka Tail Walkers marched in the parade alongside their four-legged companions and their school bus adorned with photos of rescue dogs that are currently up for adoption. Owner Michelle Smith and her team find immense importance in participating in community events such as the parade.

“We just want to be part of the community,” Smith said. “And the kids love the dogs..everyone loves the dogs. We also do it for the dogs, we help to raise money for the dogs and help them live a healthier life.”

Algonquin Outfitters participated in the parade with their large float and staff members Rob Zonneveld and Brent Ellerson expressed their thoughts on the importance of participating in their town’s Santa Claus parade.

“To me, it’s about community and supporting community events and having people come out and it’s just a fun night,” Zonneveld said. “Within our own store, it’s great camaraderie because we get to hang out and wrap presents and build floats and it’s a fun part of work and it helps build friendships and relationships.

“It was nice to see a lot of kids this year,” Ellerson added. “There were tons and tons of kids and families and it was so nice to see that.”

Huntsville Ghost Riders were also present to show their support to the community and to spread awareness about their initiatives for raising funds for medical care for children with Type One Diabetes.

“We do it [the parade] for the kids, we’re all about the kids in one way or another,” Ghost Riders member Sassy Williamson said. “And to raise awareness for motorcycle safety and to kill the stigma around motorcycles.”

“It’s just good to get out into the community and be a part of it,” Ghost Riders member Termite M. added. “You don’t want to be hiding out on some side road in the forest and people see you ride by and say ‘who are those people?’ This way, we’re not hiding out anywhere, we’re coming right out and saying ‘look, here we are, we’re regular people.’”

Local Girls Hockey team Huntsville Sting marched proudly down the street and were enthused to be a part of the annual excitement. When asked what they enjoy most about participating in the parade, team member Hannah Plant shared in the sentiments of many as she answered, “I enjoy it because I get to hand out candy to the children.” Lea Plant emphasized the parade’s importance because “it’s celebrating Santa,” and Lexi Plant said “because it makes people happy.”

Almost all participating groups interacted with onlookers and handed out candy canes to eager and happy children. Riverside Baptist Church was on the sidelines giving out free hot chocolate and Pizza Hut handed out free slices of pizza, further displaying the town’s giving and generous spirit.

Other local groups and businesses that participated in the parade include: Giant Tiger, White Pine Massage & Wellness, Lions Club, Huntsville Otters, 844 Norsemen Air Cadets, Remax, Huntsville Marine, The Table Soup Kitchen, Muskoka Pride, Moose FM, PYRC Protectors of Youth, Affagato, Muskoka Landing, Kimberly Clark, and others.

The parade concluded as it always should: with Santa Claus himself at the back of his sleigh atop his massive float, waving to excited onlookers with a jolly smile.

And Santa Claus makes his appearance!

Cameron of Lochiel Pipe and Drum Band.

844 Norsemen Air Cadets.

Riverside Baptist Church members handing out hot chocolate: from left to right, Pastor Ryan Naxson, Candi Paas, Mark Dean, David McCarthy, Philip McCarthy.