Planning for the 53rd edition of the Royale Greater Moncton Santa Claus parade has been underway for months.
Parade President Robert Gallant says on November 23rd, spectators from across the Maritimes gather in downtown Moncton, “This year, the theme is Family Traditions. We will have close to 70 floats this year, and we always look forward to seeing how they interpret that.”
Over one hundred thousand people from across the Maritimes come to the Hub City to welcome Old Saint Nick.
“It is a big shopping weekend, in the downtown and surrounding areas. People come from PEI and Nova Scotia that weekend, to shop and stay for the parade,” Gallant says.
He adds, a lot of work goes into making the parade a success each year, “Besides all of the extra people coming out during the parade, we have a board of close 30 people who work on this year in and year out. I get a lot of strange looks when I say in February and March that I am going to a Santa Claus parade meeting.”
The parade begins at 5 o’clock at the corner of Cameron and Main Street, and runs to the corner of Champlain and Paul Streets in Dieppe.
