The Santa Claus Parade will look a bit different this year as the annual event will be moved to the outskirts of town at Engle Business District off of Deh Cho Boulevard.
The City of Yellowknife, which organizes the event in anticipation of Christmas, issued a news release on Wednesday afternoon stating that the Drive-Thru Santa Claus Parade will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Typically every year, the event brings families out to the streets of downtown Yellowknife for an evening but this year residents will be asked to drive out to the business district, park their vehicles and watch the parade with their families due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mayor Rebecca Alty provided a statement in the release noting the significant difference in the route.
“We’re really excited to be able to have this annual tradition return this year while still respecting public safety,” said Mayor Rebecca Alty. “It’s basically a reverse parade. The floats will stay parked, while the residents drive thru in the warmth of their vehicles.”
Your Favourite Christmas Movie
The news release stated that community organizations, businesses and schools are being invited to enter a float and vehicle(as) as per usual with the theme of “Your Favorite Christmas Movie.”
Entries will also notice a specially created "2020 Strong" category to encourage the whole community get involved.
image sourced from the City of Yellowknife
"Families and friends are invited to get together and submit an entry that can be as simple as a decorated car, van, or pick-up truck and trailer to add to the festive line-up," states the release.
Those interested in participating can register their floats on the City of Yellowknife website.
The city states that it is arranging shuttle buses to transport residents out to the parade area as some people do not have vehicles. This will be done with the assistance of First Transit Yellowknife.
More information can be found at the city's Santa Claus Parade web page or by calling 920-5676.
The city stated that it is doing its best to carefully follow guidelines from the Chief Public Health Officer and adds that the event can change with little notice due to the pandemic.