Santa extravaganza

Reverse Santa Parade planned for Loch Sloy

This is the season of joy and cheer and light. At this time of year, there’s usually a building anticipation of Christmas parades, there’s a festive feeling in the air, and many kids are doing their best to keep away from the naughty side of the ledger. But this is a year unlike any other, and the spirit of the season, while undeniably present, is muted and very definitely masked. The parades in towns and villages across the County will not take place this year, but Steve Van Dusen and Jennifer Litke of TriCanadian Energy are making sure the joy of the season will be made abundant with a “reverse” nighttime Christmas parade at Loch Sloy on December 12. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., visitors will be able to drive past decorated and illuminated floats stationed alongside the roads in Loch Sloy, with the option of a Santa visit (via a portal that looks like a Zoom window) or attending a live drive-in concert by Instant Rivalry at the end of the route. “This has been such a tremendously unique year where people have lost jobs, lost income, there are families struggling to pay rent and put food on the table, and are even having trouble putting presents under the tree for their kids. And then the kick in the pants was having to cancel Christmas events and parties and parades and festivals that we usually look forward to at the end of the year,” says Litke. “So Steven [Van Dusen] said ‘No, there needs to be something for the families, there needs to be something for the kids.’ So he’s spearheaded this monumental event in four weeks’ time.”

Inspired by the recent successful Halloween drivethrough at the site, Litke and Van Dusen, in collaboration with Loch Sloy management, are inviting members of the wider community who would usually take part in the various parades to come and set up for a nighttime display. To make it completely accessible everyone, there will be no admission charge for visitors. Litke and Van Dusen have enlisted the help of the Department of Illumination artist collective, as well as Shatterbox Theatre who will be doing an installation that is being described as “rather fun”. In addition, they will have the members of the community dressed in costume—elves, snowmen, reindeer— to greet and interact with visitors as they drive through. Current tenants and users of the site have also been invited to participate. The estimated cost to put on this event is around $15,000. A significant portion of that is for some very special light installations, some will go to pay the artists for their time, and the bulk of the remainder will be for giveaways, where it is expected that every family coming through will be given a gift card or something similar. So far, places like Metro, Sobeys and Home Hardware have come on board, plus additional local retailers. Litke encourages any organization that would have entered a float in the usual County parades to come and take part this year. “We are absolutely in need of float entries. It could be a truck decorated with lights, or a tractor. Something that will just light up, like one of those lighted blow-up decorations, and bring some joy, and for one night the people of Prince Edward County can come and drive through and take in the magic.”

The event is also a fundraiser for two local organizations, the ROC and Alternatives for Women. “Our focus is children and families and our youth,” says Litke. “The ROC is an organization we feel very strongly about here at TriCanadian Energy. We’ve supported them in the past because of their influence and mentorship in training leaders in the community. The other one is Alternatives for Women, and with the course of the pandemic there’s actually been an increase in need for their services. Not everybody thinks to donate to them at this time, but we wanted to focus on a charity that was going to support families and youth.” For more information, or to participate or make a donation, please email Jennifer Litke at jenlitke@tricanadianenergy.com, or call 613.476.6920, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Event details will also be available on Facebook and Instagram.