Saint Nick is making a stop in Airdrie Dec. 1, when the annual Santa Claus parade will brighten the dark winter sky and officially open the city's holiday season. “We’re lighting up the night, so it’s supposed to be a Christmas light parade,” said Sam Morros, director of social media with Airdrie Parade and Fireworks. “All of our floats are going to come decked out in lots of awesome lights.” According to Morros, the visually-dazzling parade will feature Santa Claus in a horse-drawn sled, along with appearances from City council and floats by local groups. “You can expect different Airdrie businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the area presenting entries with lots of Christmas lights and Christmas characters – snowmen, snow flakes,” Morros said. “There will also be music, dancers and, I think, the Festival of Lights has their train in, this year.” Jaya Bansal, recipient of the Leader of Tomorrow Award at the 2018 Awards of Community Excellence for her contributions to the Airdrie Public Library, will serve as this year’s Parade Marshal. Morros said Airdrie Parades and Fireworks is excited to have the teenager lead this year’s parade. “We choose somebody of note that does great things in the community,” she said. “With her being somebody that’s so young and so active in the community, she was kind of an obvious choice for us, this year.” With around 40 floats registered for the parade, Morros said, the lineup is full. “That’s par for the course for the Santa Claus parade,” she said. “Obviously, Canada Day is a lot bigger, but that’s pretty standard for this event.” According to Morros, Airdrie motorists can expect some road closures to accommodate the parade route. “The parade runs down Main Street from Sixth Avenue ‘til Ridgegate Way,” she said. “Roads are going to close at 4:30 p.m., and they’ll open up half an hour after the parade is over.” While the chilly weather might seem intimidating, Morros said she hopes residents will bundle up, brave the cold and line Main Street to celebrate the holiday season with their neighbours when the parade kicks off at 5 p.m. “[The parade is] one of the longest-standing events in Airdrie that’s totally free, totally family friendly, totally open to everybody,” she said. “It’s an excellent opportunity, with it being so centrally located, for people in Airdrie to really come together and celebrate Christmas.”
