Santa Claus Parade

The Santa Claus Parade (formerly the Hyack Parade of Lights) is typically held on the first Saturday in December. It is an all-Section event where we parade along Columbia St. in downtown New Westminster.

The Parade starts near 4th Street and goes down Columbia Street to 8th Street, up the hill to Carnarvan Street where it disbands and everyone walks back along Carnarvon Street. The actual time of the Parade can last one to two hours. The New Westminster 50th Baden Powell Guild and/or Venturers/Rovers Sections often volunteer to make hot chocolate and provide cookies after the parade back at the parkade. The parkade is the drop off and pick up spot for families to connect with their youth if the parents don't walk in the parade.

We traditionally park the trailer with the flags/banner/canoe/etc. on the Front Street Parkade, between 4th and 6th Street and we marshal at assigned parade spot on Columbia St. Access to the parkade is closed around 10:00 am.

The theme is Christmas, so wear Santa hats, reindeer ears, bring bells etc. dress warmly with layers of clothing, gloves and a hat. If it is raining keep dry and wear a raincoat or poncho, no umbrella. Have your Scout scarf showing on top of your coat. The Scouts can have their backpacks, wear hiking boots and carry a walking stick.

There are wooden reindeer in the storage locker that require assembling before the event or on the day of at the parkade. There are 1-person and 2-person reindeer, but we haven’t used the doubles for a few years. If anyone has a campfire blanket with badges, wear it too.

Usually, we have a canoe on wheels, being pulled by the reindeer using the tug-of-war rope. Sometimes we have a Beaver riding inside. Adults walk alongside controlling the canoe.

Things to remember to do before the parade:

• Register for the parade with the City and provide an announcing script for them to read as we march past. Deadline is usually around Nov. 20th. The registration form can sometimes be found on the City’s website. Alternatively, contact Maddison McKitrick at mmckitrick@newwestcity.ca.
• There is an insurance requirement and and indemnity agreement on the form, so it needs to be submitted to Scouts office for signature. In addition, Scouts requires a Parade Safety Plan.
• An Adventure Application Form (AAF) is required for this event.
• Assemble the reindeer ahead of time. We have done this in someone's garage, or at a Section meeting the week before the parade.
• Assemble the reindeer:
  • There are 1-person and 2-person reindeer.
  • Find the fabric shopping bag or plastic tub with the wood cross-bracing.
  • Find the nut jar with the screws & washers.
  • Bring a cordless drill from home with #2 Robertson bit.
• Get gear from the locker using the box trailer including the following:
  • canoe,
  • canoe dolly,
  • 3 paddles,
  • one PFD,
  • first aid kit,
  • long rope (the tug of war rope) to pull the canoe,
  • bag of Santa hats (top shelf right hand side) - possibly buy a bunch of new ones from a Loonie store,
  • Section flags,
  • the leather flag carrying belts (in a brown fabric bag),
  • the 12th New Westminster banner,
  • two 8' poles (spars) from the roof of the locker,
  • several small ropes to lash the spars together,
  • twine to tie the banner to the spars,
  • crab cooker (burner that sits on the ground),
  • large pot,
  • white folding table and/or an aluminum folding table,
  • 20# propane tank,
  • adjustable wrench for propane tank,
  • matches or lighter,
  • spoon to stir,
  • ladle (or can use another cup),
  • hot chocolate (or chocolate milk),
  • cookies (likely need to purchase),
  • two filled water jugs,
  • paper cups for those who don’t lug a mug,
  • tea towels to clean up the table afterwards,
  • volunteers to bring cordless drills with a #2 Robertson bit, and
  • white garbage bag.

Things to remember to do on the day:

• We meet on the Front Street parkade.
• After the parade, we take apart the reindeer on the Front Street parkade. It takes a while to do this, so we need a few volunteers to bring cordless drills with #2 Robertson bits.
• Someone should stay behind with the trailer to get the hot chocolate going and ready for noon (ish) when people return to the parkade.

Things to remember to after the parade:

• Take the flags and leather flagpole holders home to dry.
• Take the big pot home to clean.

Some History:

• When the parade was at night (Parade of Lights), the Scouts had their backpacks, wore hiking boots and carried a lantern or a buddy-burner candle torch. These torches are in the locker.
• Over the years we have had various forms of transport for the younger youth, from a large semi-trailer covered in snow to canoes.
• In 2006, our theme was "Intense for 100 years" (In tents for 100 years) and we carried (heavy) canvas tents with (heavy) poles lashed together. Other years we have had canoes on wheels strung with Christmas lights powered by a car battery (when it was the Parade of Lights).
• In the past we used to meet and disperse from Holy Trinity Church at 514 Carnarvon Street.
• It often rains. In 2015, it poured and it was the fastest parade ever as everyone was jogging along the street to get it over with!
• In 2015, we put them together ahead of time in a garage and retired some of the broken ones. Putting them together ahead of time was a good idea, and in 2016, we put them together during a Beaver Section meeting.