2026 Parade Float Application Open Now!

Join Santa and travel down Gainsborough Road representing your business!

The Hyde Park Santa Parade is one of the most exciting community events of the season, drawing excellent media coverage and hundreds of local spectators.

This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your organization and spread holiday cheer throughout the community!

Event Details

Date: Saturday, November 28, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM start
Route: Begins at Sherwood Forest Mall and travels west along Gainsborough Road

Entry Information

For-profit entrants: $200 participation fee (due upon approval).
Not-for-profit entrants: $0 fee
All entries must comply with our Parade Float Rules & Terms.
Mandatory Safety Meeting: At least one representative from each float must attend safety training on Wednesday, November 24, 2026, at 6:30 PM. You may attend either:
- In-person: Gateway Church, Room 103
- Online: via Zoom

Registration

Registration will close on Monday, November 23, 2026, or once capacity is reached (whichever comes first).

All fields are required when completing your application.

2026 Santa Parade Theme: A Vintage Christmas

Get creative and bring the theme to life! We encourage all parade participants to decorate their float, vehicle, costumes and/or display around this year’s theme. Whether you go big and elaborate or keep it simple and festive, we want to see your creativity throughout the parade!

There will be prizes awarded for:

Best Commercial Float (Large Corporation) – The most impressive large-business float.
Most Entertaining Float – The float that gets the crowd cheering, laughing and celebrating!
Most On-Theme – The float that best brings this year’s theme to life.
Best Spirit in a Float – The float that best captures the fun, festive and community spirit of the Santa Parade.

Have fun, get creative and make your float one to remember! Judges will be looking for creativity, effort, entertainment value and, of course, plenty of holiday spirit.

Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas

IMPORTANT: ONE SANTA ONLY!

Please do not include Santa Claus on your float. There will be ONE official Santa at the very end of the parade, and we want to keep the big Santa reveal special for everyone along the route. Please leave Santa off your float and get creative with all the other wonderful elements of a vintage Christmas!

A Vintage Christmas Float Ideas

Christmases of the Past – Create a scene inspired by Christmas in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s.
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Think wrapped presents, vintage toys, paper chains, tinsel, garlands and classic ornaments.
Classic Santa – Give Santa a vintage makeover with traditional decorations, old-fashioned toys and a classic North Pole scene.
Christmas Morning – Recreate the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning, complete with a vintage Christmas tree and presents.
Old-Fashioned Sleigh Ride – Turn your float into a snowy winter scene with sleighs, horses, snow-covered trees and lanterns.
Christmas Movies & TV Specials – Take inspiration from classic Christmas movies, television specials or holiday characters.
Christmas Carols – Build your float around traditional carollers, sheet music, vintage microphones or an old-fashioned record player.
Vintage Toys – Feature classic toys like wooden trains, rocking horses, teddy bears, dolls and toy soldiers.
A Christmas Past – Create a nostalgic 1950s-style living room, kitchen or front porch decorated for Christmas.
Retro Christmas Decorations – Go all-in on colourful vintage lights, bubble lights, tinsel, oversized ornaments and retro garlands.
Old-Fashioned Christmas Baking – Create a nostalgic kitchen or Christmas cookie scene.
🎄 Classic Christmas Tree – Decorate your float like a tree from Christmases past with handmade ornaments, popcorn garlands, tinsel and colourful lights.

The possibilities are endless! Whether you recreate a specific decade, bring back a favourite childhood Christmas tradition or simply give your float a nostalgic holiday feel, we want to see your take on Vintage Christmas.

Don’t forget: floats will be judged for creativity, entertainment, effort, holiday spirit and how well they bring the Vintage Christmas theme to life!