120th Toronto Santa Claus parade will feature 27 floats, thousands of performers

Santa is coming to town. 

Toronto's Original Santa Claus Parade will march for the 120th year on Sunday, with 750,000 people expected to watch the spectacle, which comes as organizers warn this year's event could be the last. 

The parade will begin at 12:30 p.m., with 27 hand-crafted floats accompanied by more than 2,000 marchers and other performers embarking on the six-kilometre route. 

"We're expecting to bring the magic back to the city of Toronto again this year," said David McCarthy, chair of the Original Santa Claus Parade board of directors. 

Anyone who wants to watch the parade from home can see it streamed live on YouTube for the first time, instead of the usual television broadcast.

Plan for the day

Before the parade begins, children can spend between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Christie Pits eating cookies and writing letters to Santa.

It's also where Wiggles star Emma Memma will perform before hopping on her own parade float. 

"To be part of this very special event is quite extraordinary, especially from all the way over from Sydney, Australia; we don't really have anything like this," she told CBC Toronto. 

At 11:45 a.m., nearly 2,000 runners will start the parade with the five-kilometre Holly Jolly Run, which starts at 625 Bloor St. W. 

After remarks from officials like Mayor Olivia Chow at 12:15 p.m. and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m., the parade will depart Christie Pits, wrapping up around 3 p.m. at St. Lawrence Market. 

Parade route 

The parade slightly changed its route this year to accommodate construction.

After taking off from Bloor Street W. and Christie Street, the parade will move eastbound along Bloor Street W. to St. George Street, travel southbound on St. George to Hoskin Avenue and then eastbound to Queen's Park Crescent E. 

It will then travel down University Avenue to Wellington Street and will continue east along Wellington Street before heading south on Yonge Street, east on Front Street and ending at the intersection of Front and Jarvis streets, at the St. Lawrence Market.

New funding makes parade's future less precarious

After running uninterrupted since 1905, parade organizers were warning that this year's parade could be the last because of a decrease in sponsorships and rising costs. McCarthy said the parade needs $250,000 to ensure it wraps up this year without a deficit.

But this past week there's been reason for optimism.

 The province and the city already pitched in some funds, along with a promise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the federal government would also help.

Mayor Olivia Chow announced last week that the city will provide $100,000 to the parade through its Special Events Stabilization Initiative. 

McCarthy says they're still in talks with the federal government about how much funding they could get, but it's not a guarantee there will be a parade next year.

"It's a great element of support, but we really need to rely upon the citizens of Toronto and our corporate partners," he said. 

A GoFundMe campaign set up by the parade's organizers has raised over $125,000 as of Sunday.

McCarthy said Sunday he's now optimistic about next year's parade.

"We'll have more clarity, hopefully in the coming days and weeks, about what that figure looks like," he said. "It's been very heartwarming, the outpouring of support from the community."

Planned road closures 

Toronto police are warning those driving downtown Sunday that they can expect significant delays. Roads are expected to reopen by 6 p.m., with the estimated closure times below:

• Bloor Street W., from Ossington Avenue to Christie Street, at 7 a.m.

• Bloor Street W., from Christie Street to Avenue Road, at 10:00 a.m.

• Spadina Road, from Lowther Avenue to Willcocks Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Harbord Street, from Spadina Road to Queen's Park Crescent, at 11:30 a.m.

• Street George Street, from Prince Arthur to College Street, at 11:30 am.

• Hoskin Avenue, from St George Street to Queens's Park Crescent, at 11:30 a.m.

• Queen's Park Crescent from Bloor Street W. to College Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• College Street from Beverley Street to Bay Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• University Avenue, from College Street to Dundas Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Dundas Street W., from McCaul Street to Bay Street,  at 11:30 a.m.

• University Avenue, from Dundas Street W., to Front Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Queen Street W., from Duncan Street to Bay Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Adelaide Street from Duncan Street to University Avenue, at 11:30 a.m.

• King Street W., from Simcoe Street to York Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Front Street W., from Simcoe Street to Sherbourne Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Wellington Street W., from University Avenue to Jarvis Street, at 11:30 a.m.

• Bay Street, from King Street to Lakeshore Boulevard W., at 12:30 p.m.

• Yonge Street from King Street to Lakeshore Boulevard, at 12:30 p.m.

• Front Street, from Bay Street to Jarvis Street, at 12:30 p.m.

• Jarvis Street from King Street E., to Lakeshore Boulevard East, at 12:30 p.m.

• The Esplanade from Yonge Street to Jarvis Street, at 12:30 p.m.

Public transit

The TTC said it will increase service to stations along the parade's route, including Christie, Bathurst, Spadina, and St. George on Line 2, as well as Spadina, St. George, Museum, Queen's Park, St Patrick, Osgoode, Queen and King stations on Line 1. 

The 503 Kingston Road, 504 King, 505 Dundas, 506 Carlton and 511 Bathurst streetcars will continue to operate.

The following bus routes will be diverted starting around 10 a.m. to accommodate for the parade and the Holly Jolly Fun Run:

• 13 Avenue Road

• 19 Bay

• 75 Sherbourne

• 94A Wellesley

• 114 Queens Quay E. - New this year

• 121 Esplanade-River

• 126 Christie

• 300 Bloor-Danforth

• 501 Queen

• 503 Kingston Road

Metrolinx will also be running special GO Train service on the Milton Line, with a train heading to Union Station at 11 a.m. and departing back to Milton GO at 5:25 p.m.