The Canada Day and Santa Claus Parade will both run through downtown Windsor this year.
The Windsor Parade Corporation and Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association have come to a deal.
The DWBIA will be a major sponsor of the two parades which will be put on by the parade corporation.
Parade Corporation Director David Grimaldi says it's a win-win situation.
"We worked hard and I think on the end of the day, we're all going to benefit and most importantly the people of Windsor and Essex County are going to be the beneficiaries of the hard work done between the two organizations"
Parade Corporation Director Maggie Durocher says this was a milestone year for the Santa parade and they wanted to make it special.
Windsor Parade Corporation Director Maggie Durocher, Fourteen Restaurant, May 9, 2018 (by AM800's Peter Langille)
"We really wanted to do something special for our 50th anniversary, we wanted to bring the parade home to downtown Windsor. Those were our roots, that's where the parade started 50 years ago"
DWBIA Chair Larry Horwitz says this year is only a start of the relationship.
Larry Horwitz, DWBIA Chair, Fourteen Restaurant, May 9, 2018 (by AM800's Peter Langille)
"We're going to continue to work with the parade corporation to continue to build on the parades and make them greater and bigger than ever, this is a major coup for downtown, for the residents, for the merchants"
Horwitz says the parade will be incorporated into Winterfest.
It means the Canada Day Parade on Wyandotte Street has ended after more than a decade as has thee Sandwich Santa Claus Parade.
The DWBIA will sponsor each parade at $20,000.
Horwitz says just the Winterfest parade cost $35,000 each year, so this is almost two for the price of one.