Cloverdale's annual Santa Parade featuring the big rigs from Vancouver Island will be happening on Sunday, December 6, 2015 starting around 5pm.
This is a fun way to kick off the Christmas season watching the big trucks and floats decorated with Christmas lights.
The parade route through Cloverdale seems to be a well kept secret this year, though if you find a spot on 176th Street or on 58th Avenue just east of 176th, you should be good. I noticed a lot of barricades ready to be set up along 177B Street between 60th Avenue and Highway 10 blocking off the avenues inbetween. I'm not sure if this means the Santa Parade will be doing something similar to the Rodeo Parade and using those streets for set up, in which case the parade might go down Highway 10, turn north on 176th Street, and then head east along 58th Avenue. This is all guess work on my part because the route is not disclosed anywhere. In the past the Santa Parade has started around the fairgrounds, come down 177B Street, then along 58th Avenue to 176th. The final float with Santa used to stop at Hawthorne Square and Santa turned on the lights on the Christmas tree on the Dale Building across the street.
Parade route unknown. What is known is that there is no tree on the Dale Building unless they put it up lickety split today or tomorrow. In the past a man waited on the roof waiting for Santa to pull the switch, and then he'd plug the tree into the extension cord. Don't expect that to happen this year. There are also no strings of Christmas lights in Hawthorne Square, and the large trees further north on 176th Street near the ambulance station have not been decorated this year.
I still think the parade will loosely follow what its down in the past and come down 177B Street, turn west on 58th Avenue, and turn right on 176th Street. I only think this will happen is because when the Santa Parade ends in Cloverdale the trucks are making a beeline to City Hall in the Whalley Area, where the rigs will be available for viewing for a couple of hours. Their best escape route is either by staying on 176th Street to Highway 10 and then proceeding west, or turning right up 57th Avenue to the Cloverdale Bypass, and getting onto Highway 10 from there.
The City of Surrey has made a big deal out of promoting the lit up rigs at City Hall and pretty much ignored that Cloverdale will be lit up with a parade.
If you want to find parking get to Cloverdale by 4pm. Streets may be barricaded after that. There is parking parking lots on 176A Street at 58A Avenue and 57th Avenue. There's another public lot behind the firehall on 57th Avenue. Try the Legion's parking lot on 57th Avenue between 176th Street and the Cloverdale Bypass. If you come any later than 4:30 you'll be stuck in a big traffic jam.
Weather doesn't look good this year, supposed to be pouring rain. This is a fun event so come out and don't forget to bring a donation for the food bank. Have a great time!
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