Santa Extravaganza

Smiles and lights bring Christmas magic

The community needed a welcome boost in spirits this Christmas season, and the reverse parade at Loch Sloy on a rainy December night delivered in spades. Well before the event started at 6 p.m. on Saturday night, there was a line of cars that stretched along County Road 22 towards County Road 10, and at the height the line-up was a mile or so longer, making for a near two-hour crawl to get in. Despite that, the excitement and joy on the faces was evident, as they got in to the business park and drove past nearly two dozen illuminated displays. The 56-foot high Tree of Hope provided a welcome beacon as the cars entered the site, and then drove under an illuminated archway to begin the reverse parade. An energetic group of elves directed the vehicles at the first turn; there was a caution sign at a reindeer crossing, and a gingerbread disco to go along with the many brightly illuminated floats. From farm machinery strung with lights, to pizza-bearing turtles, to a Charlie Brown skating scene, to a fantastically illuminated bus, it was a treat for the eyes and soul. A light, and sometimes not so light, drizzle made everything glisten on a balmy December night. Drivers had a choice of two paths at the end—one, and by far the most popular, led to a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, together with a few of their elves. Santa was as jolly as ever, recognizing many of the children, and telling them how much they had grown over the past year. He even welcomed a few celebrating their first Christmas, promising to bring them something extra-special. The other path led to a stage where Megan and Caleb Hutton of the band Instant Rivalry performed a selection of seasonal favourites.

Parade committee chair Jennifer Lynn Litke was overcome with emotion at the turnout. “I am feeling absolutely in awe. I’m very proud and a little shocked,” she said. “The community came out in spades. There were a few moments when I saw the line initially that I got choked up because I realized that everything had come to fruition. I’m amazed at this community. I’m so proud that everybody was so happy and so joyful. It was such a great night. Nobody left disappointed.” The organizing committee included Jacqui Burley from Loch Sloy, volunteer Steve Everall, and Steve Van Dusen from TriCanadian Energy. Additional help came from Krista Dalby and Nella Casson from the Department of Illumination, and Debbie Rankin and Bev Humphrey from the Picton Recreation Committee. The Picton firefighters also took part in the reverse parade, bringing their equipment, as well as handing out 600 loot bags to families with children.

Van Dusen had the idea for the Tree of Hope, which is a 56-foot high conical pyramid of lights. There 3,700 feet of lights strung up, and it is all solar-powered. “[Steve] wanted to do something really big and spectacular to offer a gift to the community,” said Litke. “He was feeling that a lot had been taken away from us this year, traditions that we were used to that we now couldn’t participate in because of COVID, and he wanted to give back to the community.” The Picton firefighters played an important role in getting the lights up—their ladder truck was used to string the topmost lights, as well as place the star on the top.

Litke estimates that over 1,100 vehicles drove through the site. As the time approached 9:30 p.m., she became concerned that there were too many vehicles in the line-up to get in, and she didn’t want the parade to go past the 10 o’clock closing time. Fortunately, no one had to be turned away, and the last car left the site by 10:15. While the volunteer helpers were a little waterlogged and getting tired towards the end, their enthusiasm never wavered. “People were happy and singing and waving and saying ‘Merry Christmas!’. The smiles did not diminish, and people just kept welcoming the cars as they drove through,” said Litke. The event was a fundraiser for the ROC and Alternatives for Women, and $8,800 was collected, a little shy of the $10,000 goal. Ten per cent of the funds will go to the Picton firefighters, and the remainder will be equally shared between the two organizations. Donations are still welcome. An e-transfer can be sent to donate@tricanadianenergy.com