An integral part of getting our floats to downtown Toronto each year is our team of drivers.
These drivers work with us the whole Parade weekend. The day before the big event, they help us move the floats out of our secret location. On Parade day, they arrive at 5:00 a.m. in order to help us safely drive all the floats down to Bloor street.
A little-known fact: The Santa Claus Parade float drivers are all part of the Toronto Paramedic Services.
Many of our drivers return year after year to volunteer. One of those drivers is Peter You.
We asked Peter what he loves about being one of the float drivers for the Santa Claus Parade.
The Santa Claus parade has many meanings for me. From the start of helping prepare the floats for the parade to helping put the floats away after the parade.
Being a volunteer is like being part of a second family and I look forward to reuniting with everyone every year. The dedication and comradery between everyone makes me feel like I’ve helped reach a goal that brings joy to so many. Despite the long hours and hard work, I’ve always felt happy and satisfied with all that we accomplished.
The parade brings so many people together to celebrate and enjoy the day. It never seems to matter the weather; everyone is excited and happy to be there.
What I love most about being a driver for the Santa Claus parade, is when we are driving the floats to the parade and back. Kids and families gather along the route to wave and cheer as we drive by, bringing happiness to the kids that couldn’t make it to the parade. That is a great feeling.
‘The meaning of Christmas is that Christmas has meaning’
The float drivers are such a big part of the Santa Claus Parade family. Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to bring the magical floats to the streets of Toronto for everyone to enjoy.
The details about this year’s televised event can be found on our blog.
Be sure to follow all our social channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) @TOSantaParade and our blog at https://thesantaclausparade.com/blog/ for all the updates.
