Santa Claus officially in town this Saturday

COMMUNITY — Santa will be full of holiday spirit on his visit to town this Saturday, celebrating a Once Upon a Time theme during the annual Santa Claus parade through downtown.

The day starts with Wake-Up Santa at 10:30 a.m. and the parade beginning at 11 a.m. There will be pre-parade entertainment starting at 10:15 a.m. along the parade route.

The parade starts at 2nd Avenue and St. Paul Street, runs down 2nd Avenue to Victoria Street and along Victoria Street until 6th Avenue. The parade ends at 6th Avenue. No spectators are allowed in the 600 block of Victoria Street. Santa stops at 6th Avenue and turns left.

Parade spectators are encouraged to take public transit or carpool to the event. Downtown parkades are free of charge to park in, but private off-street lots aren’t free during the event. This includes Lansdowne Village.

Kamloops Square is sponsoring 20 free non-profit entries, KGHM Ajax 10 free non-profit spots and the Gl’Amour studio four free non-profit spots. Rotary Clubs of Kamloops will marshall the parade, with Tom Hammer once again parade marshall.

Doubletree will operate the command centre, Kamloops Search & Rescue will handle barricades, Scotiabank will outfit Santa, and Harrison Industrial Contracting & Interior Savings Credit Union will feed all 75 parade day volunteers.

CFJC TV, Kamloops This Week, WSP Focus Corp, HUB International, Moly-Cop, Kamloops Toner and Foresters Kamloops Branch are also sponsors.