Christmas Lights around Cloverdale

I'm using a different camera. It's not so good with night shots but here are a few scenes around Cloverdale with Christmas lights.

On 176th Street and 58A Avenue.

 

 

 

One of the wreaths hanging from a light pole.



 

 

 

 

176th Street looking south from 58th Avenue.

 

 

Painted windows at MLA Stephanie Cadieux's office on 176th Street.

 

 

Fedewich notary office on 176A Street

 

 

 

The Christmas tree on top of the Dale building on 176th Street.

 

 

Lights on Hawthorne Square on 176th Street.

 

Cloverdale Santa Claus Parade - Sunday, December 8, 2013

This year Cloverdale's Santa Claus Christmas Parade of Lights will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2013 starting at 5pm.

Note: this is one week later from the previously announced date. If you show up in Cloverdale on December 1 you will be disappointed.

They changed the parade route last year and I think they are doing the same route again this year. The parade's staging area is in the Fraser Downs parking lot - the fairgrounds on 60th Avenue. The parade will come out of the parking lot and head south on 177B Street. At 58th Avenue, the parade turns west and continues to 176th Street. The parade continues southbound to 56A Avenue and then turns right or westbound. At this point the parade peters out and goes up the back alley to 57th Avenue and then exits at the Cloverdale Bypass and makes their way back to the fairgrounds. Most people try to get viewing spots on 176th Street especially if they have children who want to meet Santa. It's less crowded along 58th Avenue.

The parade features semi truck rigs decked out in Christmas lights and decorations, many coming from Vancouver Island through the Island Equipment Owners Association. There were also be local trucks in the parade. There will be cars, marching bands, and horses taking part. The highlight is Santa Claus at the end of the parade who will disembark his float at Hawthorne Square on 176th Street, between 57th and 58th Avenues, and will throw the switch to light up the Christmas tree on top of the Dale Building.

Last year there were 3 floats that had Santa Claus so perhaps they'll coordinate a bit better this year!

The food bank will be collecting donations and several merchants and vendors will be selling hot chocolate, hot dogs, cookies, and other treats.

Parking around Cloverdale can be a little tricky. All the above mentioned streets on the parade route will have temporary no parking signs on them. If you've parked in the past at the site of the old Cloverdale Mall, you need to find another place to park. The old mall is under construction and behind a fence. There are still some parking spaces around the Cloverdale Legion on 57th Avenue. Public parking lots are on 176A Street at 58A Avenue, 176A Street at 57A Avenue (behind the Clova Theatre, next to the Bank of Montreal), and in the alley behind 176th Street between 56A Avenue and 57th Avenues behind the firehall. These public parking lots between them hold about 150 cars. The old Cloverdale Super Market (Shop-Easy) that closed down on 176th Street and 58th Avenue has a small parking lot that holds about 20 cars. No one is monitoring the parking there but arrive early before the streets get shut down. There is free street parking around Cloverdale, look at 176A and 177B Streets and all the avenues between those streets and then walk downtown. Streets will be shut down by volunteers so car traffic will undoubtedly get quite jammed up as people arriving at the last minute try to find a place to park. If you want to find a good parking spot, arrive before 4pm. If you arrive late, after 4:30pm, try the parking lot at the fairgrounds and catch the parade as it starts.

Christmas Lights going up around Cloverdale

Christmas lights are being hung in downtown Cloverdale. Some of the Christmas lights have been set up on 176th Street and in Hawthorne Square. Several trees on the main street have been decorated and Hawthorne Square has red Christmas lights strung up and some wreaths.

The workers will be finishing the lights by the end of November in preparation for the Santa Claus Parade.

Cloverdale Blueberry Festival August 4, 2012

The Cloverdale Blueberry Festival will be held on Saturday August 4, 2012 between 9am and 4pm.

There are a variety of events going on in Cloverdale but a big draw is the Show and Shine. Come out to see antique and classic cars, trucks, and motorbikes. They will be parked on 176th Street between 58A Avenue and Highway 10. In other words this entire stretch of 176th Street will be closed off to regular vehicle traffic due to the large amount of pedestrians.

Last year the stage was set up across the street from the Cloverdale Learning Centre/Hawthorne Square and musical acts were performing.

There are a variety of events taking place on 176th and 176A such as the blueberry pie eating contest and BMX bike display. There will be vendors selling produce and crafts.

The free trolley bus service will be back to transport people between the various venues.

Looking for parking? Try the parts of the old Cloverdale Mall that still have space for cars to park. If you're on the Cloverdale Bypass, turn on 57th Avenue as if you're heading towards 176th Street and downtown Cloverdale, and then immediately turn left into the old parking lot. There is public parking between 57th and 56A Avenues. Turn into the alley beside the firehall as if you're heading back to Highway 10. There are only about 30 or so parking spots there but there might be places left on 56A Avenue to park. There is parking along 58th Avenue between 176A and heading east. Also along 177B Street and most of the side streets between 58th Avenue and Highway 10. There is also 2 public parking lots on 176A Street. One is on the corner of 58A Avenue, approximately across from the bowling alley. The other is inbetween 57th and 58th Avenues, behind the Clova theatre. Perhaps 100 parking spots between the 2 of them.

Santa's Parade of Lights Sunday December 4 2011

Cloverdale's Santa Parade of Lights will be on Sunday December 4 2011 starting at 5pm and lasting until about 6:30pm depending on where you're standing on the route.

The parade starts at the parking lot in the Cloverdale Fairgrounds on 60th Avenue and 176A Street. It goes down 176A Street and then turns west down 58A Avenue to 176th Street and proceeds along there. I think it ends at 57th Avenue and they head west up to the Cloverdale Bypass. I know I see the vehicles whipping as fast as they can go along the bypass back to the fairgrounds.

As for weather conditions - I've been out there in pretty bitter cold wind. The only time the parade was cancelled was when it snowed a few years ago. We still wandered down but clearly nothing was happening.

The parade features a lot of trucks that come over from Vancouver Island brightly decorated in Christmas lights. A lot of local business are in the parade too with decorated cars and trucks and last year there were some horses from Fraser Downs that participated.

There will be various vendors set up along the parade route and in Hawthorne Square on 176th selling food like hot dogs and hot chocolate.

They'll be collecting donations for the Surrey Food Bank and the Christmas Bureau so remember to bring some non perishable food items with you if you're planning to attend.

More events happening in Cloverdale May 2010 long weekend

I've just returned from a 3 week vacation and I have a few more additions to my previous post about what's happening around Cloverdale this May 2010.

To start off I still have been unable to find a map of the Cloverdale Rodeo Parade route, so I'm sticking with what I said before and hoping its staying to the same route. To be safe, find a spot on 176th Street between 58th and 57th Avenues. I'm pretty sure the parade is starting somewhere around 56A Avenue and 177B Street - the staging area. Parade proceeds south along 177B Street while everyone gets in line to Highway 10. Which means that the west bound lanes of traffic are closed and all traffic is diverted to the eastbound lane. Then its a couple of blocks west to 176th Street, north until 58A Avenue, then north again on 176A Street where the parade peters out by the time it reaches 60th Avenue and the fairgrounds.

Friday, May 21 - 4:30pm to 6pm its the Chili Cook off at the Clover Square Village on the south side of Highway 10 and 177B Street. Chili is free for the testing and voting. Sometimes free comes with a price and you have to listen to the chef's political agenda.

Saturday, May 22 - 8am to 10am is a rodeo pancake breakfast in Hawthorne Square on 176th Street across from the Clova Theatre. This is put on by the Cloverale Lions. Live music with Cloverdale's own Trailer Park Playboys.

Saturday, May 22 - 8:30am to 10am is another rodeo pancake breakfast, and this one is my personal favorite because its free. Its held at the Cloverdale Canadian Reformed Church at 17473 60th Avenue.

Saturday, May 22 - 1:30pm the Clova Theatre is hosting a vaudeville act Susie Francis and the Versatiles. Tickets are $5. This will be repeated on Sunday May 23 and Monday May 24, same time, same place, same act.

There are all kinds of activities happening in Cloverdale in conjunction with the rodeo. For more information see their web page. Apparently the free trolley rides will be running around Cloverdale all weekend. Unfortunately I can't locate their route, but a safe bet would be the stops are at Clover Square Village, Hawthorne Square, and the fairgrounds.

No matter what you have planned, I hope you have a happy and safe long weekend.

Filming in Cloverdale

During the 90's and first part of the 2000 decade there was a lot of movie and film action in downtown Cloverdale, with its small town look of Anytown, USA. It was not uncommon for the police to do traffic control and have barricades set up so no one can drive down 176th Street during filming.

Last night I noticed a bunch of movie trucks in the back parking lot of the old Safeway in the Cloverdale Mall. Today when I walked down 176th Street there is a USA flag on the Dale Building and a crosspost sign saying "Welcome to Big Whisky, Wisconsin". Hawthorne Square was set up with canopies and tables set up with wares: honey, flowers, and vegetables. Dee's Brazilian Shoes sign is covered up with a sign depicting Cowgirl something. I couldn't see it all. the front of the shop has a bunch of cowboy boot cutouts leaning against it. The old Duckworth's building, which is now home to a continuing education centre has a bunch of clothes draped in the front window. There were several staff setting everything up, perhaps they were going to have a dress rehearsal. When I came along the back parking lot there were a couple of guys setting up a tent, perhaps for a commissary.

There doesn't appear to be any action there tonight, unless they're filming much later on. Or else the wind and stormy weather has cancelled the filming.

I'll take a walk down there tomorrow and see if anything's happening.

What's happening in Cloverdale in December 2009

December 5, 12, and 13 – Free photo with Santa at London Drugs in Cloverdale Crossing Mall – 17685 64th Avenue. 2 – 4pm on the two Saturdays and Sunday Dec 13 session is from 1 – 3pm.

December 6, 12, and 19 – Cloverdale trolley tours will be operating between 10am and 6pm. A few years ago this was a trolley pulled by two draft horses, but this one is on loan from the Vancouver Trolley Company that operates sightseeing tours around Vancouver. Its free to ride but they ask people to bring donations for Cloverdale’s Christmas hamper. Trolley stops at Kwantlen College on 180th – across from Stampede Tack, stops at Clover Square Village Mall on Hihway 10 and 177B Street, Hawthorne Square on 176th Street, about halfway between 57th and 58th Avenues, Fraser Downs, Cloverdale Crossing Mall at 64th Avenue and 176th Street, and oddly enough at Clayton Crossing up on the Fraser Highway and 188th Street. Probably has something to do with Coast Capital sponsoring the trolley and they have a branch at that location. Takes about half an hour to do a full loop.

Sunday, December 6 – free movie at the Clova Theatre. Elf will be playing starting at 4pm. This is a really funny movie, should be on TV a few times over December if you can't get to the Clova.

Sunday, December 6 – Santa Parade starts at 6pm. Last year they cancelled the parade at the last minute due to snow. Kind of ironic. Christmas, Santa, snow all seem to go together. Freezing temperatures are in the forecast later this week, so we’ll see if any snow hits and makes a repeat cancelled performance. There are several places to watch the parade, but normally the best spot is on 176th Street around Hawthorne Square in order to watch the Christmas tree atop the Dale Building being lit. The parade starts in the fairgrounds and goes down 176A Street and then down 58A Avenue to 176th Street, and ending at 56A Avenue. Various groups are usually selling or giving away hot dogs, popcorn, and hot chocolate. Bring food or cash donations for Cloverdale’s Christmas hamper.

Saturday, December 12 – pancake breakfast at the Cloverdale Legion. For $4, pancakes, eggs, sausages, coffee, and orange juice. 17567 – 57th Avenue.

Saturday, December 12 – Christmas open house at the Stewart Farm at 13723 Crescent Road from noon to 4pm. Tour the house, make a Christmas ornament, and enjoy a hot apple cider. Admission by donation.