If you were hoping 2023 was the year Santa and his merry sleigh and reindeer would once again make a thrilling appearance on the streets to cap off the beloved Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, sadly it's not to be.
For the fourth consecutive year, organizers have made the call to cancel the event.
The pause is not due to the pandemic, which is what took the event offline in 2020 and again in 2021.
Rather, it's a continuation of what took the parade off the streets in 2022: The Vancouver Santa Claus Parade - which had been "presented by" telcom giant Telus - is still missing a sponsor, and "the parade must remain on hiatus until a new sponsor can be found," say organizers on the parade's website.
Much of their messaging for 2023 remains the same as last year: "The event needs a title sponsor to defray the costs of putting on the parade each year but to date, no sponsor has been able make a commitment."
The organizers also indicate they are open to hearing from any business or organization that wants to become a sponsor.
V.I.A. reached out to the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade organizers via the email they provide on their website to learn more about the 2023 cancellation, but did not receive a response.
The celebration, often held at the start of December, features not only a parade jam-packed with floats, marching bands, and the grand finale appearance of the big man in red himself but also sideline programming like family-friendly activities set up in the vicinity and a "Breakfast With Santa" event. The parade was last held in 2019, when the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade marked its 16th anniversary.
This year, organizers are still urging fans to get in the parade's vibe of giving back to the community. "We hope you’ll keep the holiday spirit alive by continuing to support the parade’s benefitting partners: the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and the CKNW Kids' Fund," organizers suggest.
Other major holiday season events in Vancouver announced for 2023:
- Vancouver Christmas Market (Nov. 16-Dec. 24)
- VanDusen Festival of Lights (Nov. 24- Jan. 7)
- PNE Winter Fair (Dec. 8-9, 14-23)
