Kinsmen Club looking for musicians to join Santa Claus Parade

Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to all the kids at last year’s St. Marys Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade.

By Alex Hunt

Organizers of the St. Marys Santa Claus Parade are calling on musicians to help bring the sound of the season downtown when the annual event returns on Nov. 21.

“We’ve struggled to get bands because there are competitions in other cities, but we still do pretty well,” said parade co-chair Wayne Barber. “It’s a tough gig, but we’re always trying to bring in more bands each year.”

“We do the fundraising to help cover the costs of the musicians, and then we coordinate the floats and registrations,” he said. “You don’t want two big bands beside each other, and you’ve got to keep the horses away from the noise. There’s a lot to juggle and we try to space the music so everything can be heard clearly.”

Barber said The Kinsmen Club of St. Marys has been organizing the annual Santa Claus parade for around 50 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Planning begins in August and now the club is on the search for additional bands or individual musicians to join the march. 

The parade will happen on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., starting at the Pyramid Recreation Centre and proceeding through the downtown area. 

I think music enhances every experience; it’s what gets everyone in the festive spirit,” Barber said. “One of the new things this year is that the Downtown St. Marys BIA has decided to (have businesses) stay open during the parade, which is great. We’re hoping people take advantage of that, visit the merchants and support the community.”

Barber said he is continually impressed by the creativity and talent participants bring to the parade each year. He said the floats and performances light up the streets, with participants finding new ways to add their own flair annually.

He added one of the most rewarding parts for musicians is seeing the joy on children’s faces as the parade makes its way through town, calling it a truly special moment.

“We’re open to all genres and styles; we like to have a variety,” Barber said. “I think the parade is mainly for the children, but it’s for adults too, and it really brings out the festive spirit.”

“We normally get about five bands, but this year we’re looking for more. I’ve seen some pretty good performances over the years, and for myself, I like seeing all the colourful floats and the community having fun. We accept participants of all ages, and individual performers can join as well.”

Registration is available on the Kinsmen Club of St. Marys website at stmaryskinsmen.com and on the club’s Facebook page.