Skip to content

Downtown Penticton’s Main Street closes for Santa Parade

The parade starts at 4:30 p.m. and will go north down Main to Lakeshore Drive
31140658_web1_221130-PWN-SantaParade_1
The last time the Santa Parade took place in Penticton was 2019. (Brennan Phillips Western News file photo)

It’s almost time for the return of the popular Santa Parade on Saturday, Dec. 3 starting at 4:30 p.m.

The Santa Claus Parade starts at 4:30 p.m. from White Avenue and will proceed north along Main Street toward Lakeshore Drive, set to end by 6 p.m. While the temperatures are expected to be cold that day with a possible -9 C, dress warmly and get there early to make sure you get a spot along the sidewalk.

The parade hasn’t taken place since 2019.

A section of Main Street between Eckhardt Avenue and Lakeshore Drive will be closed to traffic from 3 to 7 p.m. to allow for the Santa Claus Parade which starts at White Avenue.

Drivers are asked to plan ahead and move their vehicles from the street in that area by 2:30 p.m. to ensure the route is clear for floats. This year, floats will be staging in the Penticton High School parking lot, so motorists and residents in the area should be aware that there will be slow-moving parade traffic and traffic control personnel on Eckhardt between the school and Main Street.

In order to ensure the safety of parade participants and spectators, temporary no parking signs will be posted along the route, and detour signs will redirect traffic during the event.

“After a two-year hiatus, the city of Penticton is pleased to bring back the Santa Claus Parade to town,” says Mayor Julius Bloomfield. “A tradition for more than 20 years, this is a chance for the community to once again come together during the festive season. For some, it will rekindle memories of old, for many others, it will be a chance to create new memories, and for all of us, it’s an opportunity to embrace the spirit of the season.”

The City and BC Transit are offering a free Park & Ride bus service to shuttle participants from Cherry Lane Shopping Centre or the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) to the parade in downtown Penticton. Afterward, the shuttle will take riders to the SOEC for the Penticton Vees Teddy Bear Toss event or back to Cherry Lane.

Penticton Vees Teddy Bear Toss game against West Kelowna begins at 7 p.m.

The Vees changed the time of the game to 7 p.m. to allow for people to enjoy both the parade and the game.

READ MORE: Vees change time of Teddy Bear Toss game



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
Read more