by Paula Kully –
I have lived in many places in my life but have never seen a community that embraces Christmas the way Sidney does. From the festive street decorations and lights, cheery store windows lovingly decorated by shop owners and Breakfast with Santa to horse-drawn carriage rides, carollers and many other activities that lead up to the big day, all of it creates a magical atmosphere reminiscent of Christmases of old, making us all feel like children again.
Perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Annual Sidney Sparkles Christmas Parade and Lighted Boat Sail Past. Each year, Beacon Avenue is lined with hundreds of spectators from around the Saanich Peninsula, eagerly watching as some 50 brightly-coloured, glittering floats glide by all decked out in thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights. This year, the parade takes place on Sunday, December 2 beginning at 5 p.m. with the Sail Past to immediately follow.
This touchstone event has been organized by the tireless volunteers of the Peninsula Celebrations Society (PCS) since 1985. It was initially spearheaded by Don Trivett with the support of Joan Beattie and Dicken Reynolds who was the original parade marshal during that time. Don is well remembered as a dynamic community volunteer who contributed to many local events and initiatives.
Murray Christianson began the lighted boat sail past a few years later, around 1990. That first year there were only about seven boats, but as time went on the sail past grew to 80 vessels! Current numbers are fewer but the boats are still just as spectacular.
The key volunteer of any parade is the parade marshal. Over the past four years, this role has been filled by Cam McLennan. When asked how he came to be the parade marshal Cam laughs and says: “I was voluntold.”
While serving on Sidney Council from 2014 to 2018, Cam was appointed the Council Liaison to Peninsula Celebrations (PCS). At the time, the organization was desperately searching for an experienced parade marshal. When it was discovered that Cam had marshalled the 100th Anniversary of the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department, it seemed obvious that he was a perfect fit.
Cam says that the parade takes approximately one month to coordinate. He is assisted by a dozen or more PCS volunteers and multiple Town of Sidney staff. The process begins in mid-October when parade applications are made available online. The application deadline is mid-November, to allow the parade marshal time to organize the floats that register each year. Similar to the July 1 parade (except with lights), floats include everything from marching bands, community organizations, local businesses, military, RCMP and fire departments, big trucks and much more.
A month prior to the parade, Cam meets with Town of Sidney staff, RCMP and the Fire Department to arrange road closures for the route and to identify potential security and safety issues. The day of the parade, Town staff set up barricades and block off major intersections with a vehicle along the parade route. During the parade, PCS volunteers are stationed on each block along the route to watch for and deal with any potential safety issues.
The parade marshal’s job includes assigning a number and place in the parade lineup for each entry. This ensures that the parade runs smoothly and floats and entries are complementary to one another as they make their way along the parade route. Cam, along with his eldest son and a few other volunteers, begin setting up for the parade early in the afternoon by placing numbered stakes for each float in the marshalling area, which are the side streets along the parade route. This is where the floats “muster,” or assemble in preparation for the parade. As the parade begins, floats fall into line and set off along the parade route.
When asked what he feels is the best thing about the Sidney Sparkles Parade Cam explains: “It’s the atmosphere. It’s fun for the kids, and if you’re willing to come out and decorate, that makes it pretty special.”
Yes, Sidney Sparkles is special. It is a community effort that embodies the true spirit of Christmas. I hope that everyone enjoys this year’s parade and has a very Merry Christmas!
Photos by Bob Orchard.
