Due to COVID-19, the traditional Santa Claus Parade will not happen this year as the City continues to follow public health direction and the need to maintain physical distancing and avoid crowding. As an innovative alternative to the traditional Santa Claus Parade we have developed Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail and a special Storytime with Santa that everyone can tune into online.
Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail
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Santa's Holiday Magic Trail Update Due to heavy rain and exposure to the elements for Santa and his Volunteer Firefighter driver, Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail has been cancelled for Saturday, Dec. 12 and rescheduled for Sunday, Dec. 20. Affected Neighbourhoods are Alton Village, the Orchard, Corporate, Pinedale and Elizabeth Gardens. Santa will be back on the trail on Sunday. |
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Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail is visiting Burlington this December! This year, Santa has left his reindeer at the North Pole and is hopping in an antique firetruck to visit our neighbourhoods. Taking place on weekends leading up to Christmas in December, Santa will spread some “Ho, Ho, Ho merriness” along the trail.
To keep residents safe, the truck will not make stops and residents are asked to view Santa from within their own household or if outdoors, follow public health direction and maintain two metres physical distancing.
NOTE: We have divided Santa’s daily journey into a.m./p.m. timing to give residents a better idea of when they can expect to see him in their areas. All times are approximate.
A.M. time = 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
P.M. time = 2 to 4 p.m.
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Date |
Neighbourhood |
|---|---|
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Dec. 5 |
A.M. - Rural Burlington and Tyandaga P.M. - Brant Hills and Mountainside |
| Dec. 6 |
A.M.- Millcroft and Tansley P.M. - Palmer and Headon Forest |
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Dec. 12 |
*Cancelled due to inclement weather. Rescheduled for Dec. 20* A.M. - Alton Village, The Orchard and Corporate P.M. - Pinedale and Elizabeth Gardens |
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Dec. 13 |
A.M. - Dynes and Longmoor P.M. - Shoreacres and Roseland |
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Dec. 19 |
A.M. - Central and Plains P.M. - Aldershot |
| Dec. 20* |
A.M. - Alton Village, The Orchard and Corporate P.M. - Pinedale and Elizabeth Gardens |
* This date will be scheduled if a previous date is cancelled due to poor weather conditions. If more than one cancellation occurs, the first group of neighbourhoods will be scheduled on this date. Cancellations will be announced by 9 a.m. that day and will be posted on this page and on the City’s social media channels.
For resident safety, the exact route of Santa's trail cannot be posted in order to avoid potential gatherings along sidewalks awaiting his arrival. As Santa safely moves through neighbourhoods, the fire truck and police escort will sound their sirens occasionally letting you know they are nearby.
Anyone who sees Santa can use the hashtag #SpotSantaBurlON to notify neighbours of his location and spread the magic.
To see which neighbourhood you live in, check out the map below and enter your street name.
Santa will do his best to travel on as many streets as possible each day.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Why can’t a detailed route be provided for Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail? |
| Santa's travels throughout the city will be on open roadways and escorted by a Halton Regional Police cruiser. Due to the nature of the event, the path of travel can not be precise as we need to be able to maneouvre around any on-road incidences as well as potential changes in weather and try to cover as many residential areas of Burlington as possible in the time we have. We also need to ensure that people do not gather along roadways in anticipation of his travel.
We do encourage residents to share Santa's journey through their social feeds by using #SpotSantaBurlON to notify neighbours when he is in your area. |
| How often will Santa’s Holiday Magic Trail occur? |
| The Holiday Magic Trail will take place over five weekend dates in December with a daily event time of 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. A sixth date is available if we need to reschedule for inclement weather. |
| How will I know if the event is cancelled due to weather? |
| If we have a cancellation, we will be posting on burlington.ca/events and the City’s social media channels by 9 a.m. each event date. If we have more than one cancellation, the first group of neighbourhoods will be rescheduled for the inclement weather date of Dec. 20, 2020. |
| How will I know when Santa is on my street? |
| We are asking residents to help our community in spotting Santa as he drives around. Please use #SpotSantaBurlON on social media to help spread the cheer! |
| Will Santa be collecting letters? |
| Santa will not be stopping along the route, so he is unable to collect letters this year. Please keep a safe distance away from the road. |
| Can I get a photo with Santa? |
| Unfortunately, due to the nature of this event he will be unable to stop for photos. If you wish to take photos while he passes by in your neighbourhood, please feel free to. |
Storytime with Santa
Santa will bring the magic of the holidays to your home and reads ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (A Visit from St. Nicholas), and shares stories of the north pole, his reindeer and the nice list.
Don’t miss his virtual story time beginning Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. available for viewing until Dec 31. Come listen as often as you’d like.
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