Parade Info
PARADE HISTORY
SANTA CLAUS PARADE COMES TO NEPEAN
In the summer of 1997 I, Lion Margaret Tucker, asked the president of the Nepean Lions Club "Why doesn't Nepean have a Santa Claus Parade? She, in turn, mentioned it to the president of the Barrhaven Lions Club and they both agreed that we should change that.
Both clubs immediately began planning to introduce the residents of Nepean to its first Santa Claus Parade. With the assistance of the Nepean Professional Firefighters, who collected money and non-perishable food items, the Nepean Lions and Barrhaven Lions Clubs Santa Claus Parade came to town on Saturday morning, November 22, 1997.
The Parade, with thirty floats and marching groups, started on Hemmingwood Way, turned onto Centrepointe Drive and ended at the Nepean Civic Square. At the end of the parade, Santa Claus had hot chocolate with everyone. The Mayor's Entry Award and two Awards of Merit were presented to three floats after the Parade. An appreciative crowd meant that there was no turning back. We continued the Parade for seven years along Centrepointe Drive but it soon became too large and we decided to move it to Barrhaven. It was held for the first two years at Mother Teresa High School as a late-morning parade.
In order to allow more people to view the Parade, and in collaboration with the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area (BBIA), the Barrhaven Lions Club Santa Claus Parade began to Light Up the Night in 2006.
The main thrust of our Parade has always been to provide an exciting and fun-filled event for the children of our community and we also collect food and cash donations for the needy. This continues to fulfill the Lions' motto, WE SERVE. All donations are shared between the Family Services Association of Churches (FAMSAC) and the Barrhaven Food Cupboard (BFC).
A crowd of 3,000 braved the winter chills to see Nepean's first ever Santa Claus Parade. Although the route and the day have changed, the Barrhaven Lions Club is still organizing its Santa Claus Parade fourteen years later!
Residents of Barrhaven, it is a pleasure to serve you and we will continue to do so. We look forward to seeing you along Strandherd Drive for next year's parade.
Lion Margaret Tucker
Barrhaven Lions Club
