It’s time to gather around for the beloved family tradition and annual broadcasting event! The exclusive broadcast of THE 119th ORIGINAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE returns to CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
Join broadcasting trio Melissa Grelo (THE SOCIAL), Kelsey McEwen (CTV YOUR MORNING), and Tyrone Edwards (ETALK) as they return to host North America’s longest running children’s parade and bring viewers closer to the magic of the season. As the hosts welcome festive floats, hundreds of colourful, costumed marchers, and the enchanting sounds of more than 10 marching bands, roaming reporter Deepa Prashad (Virgin Radio Toronto) moves with the parade, as it debuts a new route, kicking off at Christie Pits and making its way through the heart of downtown Toronto.
The jolly 90-minute special features a performance by Grammy® award-winning artist Brenda Lee, famously known as “Little Miss Dynamite,” who will delight audiences with a special performance of her beloved holiday classic, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree as it celebrates its 65th anniversary.
While viewers patiently await the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, audiences enjoy holiday greetings from some of their favourite celebrities, including Laurence Leboeuf, star of CTV’s award-winning original drama series TRANSPLANT, the leads of Crave’s hit original series BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, Malaika Hennie-Hamadi, Hannan Younis, and creator Sasha Leigh Henry, Grammy® award-winning pop band OneRepublic, JUNO Award nominated Canadian alternative-pop band Valley, Swedish pop sensation Zara Larsson, and many more! Viewers also hear from local families on their favourite holiday traditions and play some perplexing festive-themed trivia alongside the hosts.
All the fun happens against the backdrop of a stunning array of more than 25 spectacular floats, including a brand-new creation starring Mrs. Claus leading the North Pole’s command centre, Santa’s newly animated reindeer flying over beautiful rooftops, the debut of an all-new Mother Goose, and one from CTV featuring CTV YOUR MORNING’s Anne-Marie Mediwake, ETALK’s Sonia Mangat, and THE SOCIAL’s Andrea Bain.
With the season of giving in full force, Desjardins, North America’s leading financial cooperative group and proud partner of THE ORIGINAL SANTA CLAUS PARADE, returns with its annual toy drive in support of one of the largest toy distributing charities in the Greater Toronto Area, the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish (The Wish). On Nov. 26, parade goers are welcomed to bring new, unwrapped toys to Desjardins’ two toy drop-off zones, located at Berczy Park and Queens Park Circle.
Toronto’s number one source for news, weather, and traffic, CP24 provides the official livestream of the parade when it takes over Toronto city streets on Sunday, Nov. 26 beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET at CP24.com.
