One of Flin Flon’s beloved holiday traditions is making a comeback this week.
The Parade of Lights, held most years on Main Street, is coming back after a one-year pandemic hiatus. The parade will start Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.
This year’s parade will be organized by new faces, headlined by a group familiar with parades - Flin Flon Pride. They, along with the Flin Flon Neighbourhood Revitalization Corporation, have been tasked with getting the parade ready ahead of the big day.
Aside from new management, little else will change for this year’s parade. Floats will gather at the Hudbay exploration department parking lot across from the Flin Flon Community Hall before rumbling down Main Street. Several local organizations and companies have entered floats, which will be judged before the parade with the winner receiving a cash reward.
Candy bags will be handed out, attendees will line the sidewalks - and of course, it would be hard to hold a Santa Claus parade without an appearance from the man himself. Pride committee member Jordana Oulette did request that people avoid dressing like Santa as part of their float - after all, there can only be one jolly old Saint Nick.
“Santa will be there,” she said.
“We want no impostors.”
As part of Flin Flon Pride each summer, organizers have held parades and marches. The Santa Claus parade has similarities to those events, but there’s one big difference.
“The difference is this one’s smack dab in the middle of cold weather,” Oulette said. Pride events have, almost exclusively, been held in the summer months.
“There’s a much shorter route and there’s more for the kids. People love it - they bring their kids out and they want to see the lights.”
Oulette said organizers are still looking for a small number of volunteers, mostly for traffic control as the parade goes down Main Street.
“I think we have four so far - I think we only need one or two more, but we can figure it out,” Oulette said.
The number of float entries is low so far, compared to typical Flin Flon activities, but Oulette is not concerned.
“We’re a last-minute town,” she said.
“I’m expecting there to be more this week.”
Anyone wishing to put together a last-minute float or volunteer with the parade is asked to message the Flin Flon Pride Facebook page or pick up a form at the Flin Flon Pharmasave.
