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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 22, 2015 | 42 Santa Parade planning kicks off with colouring contest O nce again the time for Christmas shopping, baking and the gathering of family and friends will soon be upon us, as the thoughts of Oakvillians young and young-atheart gradually turn toward a visit from the big guy himself. Yes, Santa Claus will soon be making his yearly ride down the streets of Oakville in his great red sleigh. The Oakville Santa Claus Parade Committee has been as busy as elves over the summer preparing for this year's 67th parade, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 21. This year's theme, Christmas in Motion, honours 2015 as the Year of Sport in Canada and celebrates our recent local hosting of the Pan Am/Para Pan Am Games. Not to mention the Christmas season involves hustle and bustle, sledding, skating, hockey, skiing, shopping, caroling, entertaining, Grinches that ride Mount Crumpet and Santa ying through the sky... this year's parade theme invites participants and attendees to think about all the special traditions and celebrations that keep us moving at Christmas. The parade is now accepting applications for oat and walking group entries and encourages all those in the community to show their creativity by participating in this year's event. Businesses and community groups are encouraged to participate as well as local schools, who will have to wrestle the title away from St. Thomas Aquinas and White Oaks secondary schools, joint winners of last year's Best School Float award. All Oakville schools are invited to get involved and compete for the title of Best School Float. Schools can also compete for the overall grand prize of $500 for the group that can top the rest. Entry forms and rules can be obtained from the parade website (www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca) by clicking on Registration. The deadline for entries is Friday, Oct. 30, or the rst 50 entries, whichever comes rst. Whether it's a favourite memory, movie, experience, emotion or tradition, parade registrants are asked to capture what a Christmas in Motion means to them with their entry. We all look forward to the parade, which has for 67 years signaled the beginning of the holiday season in Oakville. For the littlest ones, it's all new and amazing and for our seniors, each parade brings back many years of memories, joy, tradition and community. The Oakville Santa Claus Parade is pleased to launch its annual colouring contest, created again this year by awardwinning cartoonist Steve Nease, well-known for his entertaining Pud cartoons. Children between the ages of ve and 10 years will have the chance to win the seat beside Mrs. Claus in the beautifully- decorated Cinderella carriage throughout the parade route. Children ages three and four will have the chance to win a special prize just for their age group. Once again, Oakville will welcome Mrs. Claus as the Parade Grand Marshall. Mrs. Claus is well known for keeping Santa Claus on his toes throughout the year, making sure all the toys are made in time for Christmas, the reindeer are in shape for ying and Santa's suit is shiny red for his Christmas Eve adventures. She is looking forward to seeing familiar faces in the Oakville crowd as this is her ninth visit to Oakville for the Parade. The colouring contest is now available online and appears in today's Oakville Beaver. Kids, hurry and get your markers and crayons out because the colouring contest runs only until Nov. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Winners will be noti ed Nov. 12. For contest rules and to download your entry form, check out the Santa website at www. oakvillesantaclausparade.ca. The parade committee is always looking for adult volunteers who can perform a number of duties on parade day. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Cathy Duddeck at cduddeck@hotmail.com. The 2015 parade takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 beginning at 9 a.m. The parade will start at Lakeshore Road and Reynolds, then go west on Lakeshore to Kerr Street, north on Kerr and end at Kerr and Stewart Streets. For more information on the Oakville Santa Claus Parade, visit www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca. Colour to Win! Colour to Win! Once again, the talented Steve Nease, creator and illustrator of the entertaining Pud cartoon has designed the artwork of our latest Santa Claus Parade colouring contest. Christmas in Motion Christmas in Motion Once again, the winner talented Steve Nease, creator and illustrator The grand prize (must be 5 to 10 years of age) will actof as the Grand Marshall of designed the Oakville Claus Parade the Honourary entertaining Pud cartoon has theSanta artwork of our latest on Saturday, November 21, 2015. The second prize winner will Santa Claus colouring contest. be eligible to Parade ride on Santa's float. Three and four year-olds are still too young to ride in the parade, but are eligible to win age appropriate prizes, so we encourage to enter. The grand prize winner (must be 5 to you 10 years of age) will act as the Honourary GrandSanta Marshall of the Oakville Santa Contest, Claus Parade To enter the Oakville Claus Parade Colouring colour the picture, complete the entry andprize return it to the on Saturday, November 21, 2015. Theform second winner will address shown. Children must be 10 years of age or younger. be eligible to ride on Santa's float. Three and four year-olds are Contest is not open to children/relatives of the Town of Oakville still to Santa ride in Claus the parade, but are eligible to win age and too the young Oakville Parade Committee. appropriate prizes, so we encourage you to enter. Signature: To enter the Oakville Santa Claus Parade Colouring Contest, I have read the rules at www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca, and agree to abide by same. colour the picture, complete the entry form and return it to the address shown. Children be 10 years of age or younger. Return completed picture must to: Oakville Santa Claus c/o Town of Contest is not open toParade, children/relatives of Oakville the Town of Oakville 1225 Trafalgar Road Oakville, ON L6H 0H3 and the Oakville Santa Claus Parade Committee. Deadline: November 6, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. Name: Signature: Address: Phone: Age: I have read the rules at www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca, and agree to abide by same. Email: Return completed picture to: Oakville Santa Claus Parade, c/o Town of Oakville