CORNWALL, Ontario – Before setting out with his eight tiny reindeer at Cornwall’s 46th annual Santa Claus Parade, the man in red made a stop at the Civic Complex for the sixth annual Breakfast with Santa.
Children lined up, grinning ear-to-ear, waiting for their chance to sit on Santa’s lap. The Christmas magic was tangible, as folks piled in to spend the morning with Kris Kringle.
Santa Claus Parade Chair, Terry Muir says the event has grown exponentially since its inception, with roughly 600 guests joining Saint Nick for breakfast this Saturday, Nov. 18.
“It was kind of low-key at first because we didn’t really have any funding, but this year the Optimists stepped up and sponsored it in a big way,” said Muir. “We were able to open it up more to the public.”
Featuring slot track racing, face painting, and inflatable bowling, the event was the perfect first stop on parents’ parade day list.
“At one point, there was hardly an empty seat in the room,” laughed Muir. “It’s exciting to see that we’re growing with the support of the community. Santa has been busy today!”
Muir noted that the parade has also been growing, with an overwhelming amount of entries coming in this year. Shaping up to be the biggest year to date, the parade will commence at 5 p.m. from St. Lawrence Intermediate School, ending at Augustus.
