TORONTO — This year’s Santa Claus Parade will look a whole lot different, with CTV presenting the longstanding holiday favourite in a two-hour primetime special on Saturday, December 5 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on CTV and CTV2.
Due to Covid-19 health and safety protocols, this year’s event will feature a nighttime, closed parade route at the Canada’s Wonderland amusement park north of Toronto (instead of the usual daytime route through Toronto’s downtown streets, usually lined by smiling kids and their parents).
Hosted by Melissa Grelo (The Social) and Kelsey McEwen (Your Morning), CTV’s primetime presentation of the Original Santa Claus Parade will feature special performances by Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson and Brett Eldredge, Meghan Trainor, Ruth B., Shaggy ft. CARYS, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The parade itself will feature eight marching bands, the beloved celebrity clowns and 25 floats, including a heroes-themed float sponsored by Scotiabank, highlighting frontline workers leading the fight against Covid-19. The nighttime parade will be filmed in advance at holiday-decorated Canada’s Wonderland without spectators or mass gatherings.
CTV will also have its own parade float featuring Etalk co-anchor Tyrone Edwards. The CTV float will feature a sneak peek of the holiday classics available on the CTV Holiday Hub, now streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app.
“Without a live parade this year, it’s been a labour of joy to create even more magic for children of all ages by our longtime partners at The Original Santa Claus Parade and our talented Bell Media Studios production team,” said Pat DiVittorio, vice-president of programming, CTV and specialty, in a Bell Media press release.
An encore presentation of the parade will air Saturday, December 12 at 1p.m. on CTV.
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