Thousands of residents lined Ouellette Ave. from Giles Blvd. to Pitt St. on a chilly Saturday afternoon for a chance to see Santa.
The parade made its way through the city's core around 3pm as part of Winter Fest, one of many activities put on by the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Associations.
Brienne Trombley, her boyfriend Darren Palmer, and his kids Abighale and Kensley bundled up at the parade starting point.
Kensly Palmer, Abighale Palmer, Darren Palmer, and Brienne Trombley, bundled up at the starting point of the Winter Fest Parade on Ouellette Ave. at Gilles Blvd. Saturday Nov. 25, 2017. (Photo by AM800's Gord Bacon)
"This is our first one, I've never been down here before," says Trombley.
The parade included dozens of floats featuring the Cookie Monster, Kung-Fu Panda, and even an Elvis Presley impersonator, but the kids made it clear they were there to see one man.
"A fun parade," says Abighale. "I want to see Santa."
Kensley was there to see the man in the red-suit as well, but she was drawn to other things.
"I like the music," she shouted.
Trombley says it’s their first time taking in a parade in downtown Windsor.
The day started with a hunt for a new Christmas tree — they get a real tree every year — so it was a long day in the cold, according to Trombley.
"Tomorrow we have toy-bingo, we're pretty excited about that," she says. "It's a whole Christmas celebration this week, lots of fun. Then we go home and get hot chocolate and decorate the tree."
Toronto Blue Jays legend Ernie Whitt served as Grand Marshal of this year's parade.
Santa makes his way into Downtown Windsor as part of the @DWBIA #Winterfest #Parade. #cklw pic.twitter.com/xdGwo9wZuB
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) November 25, 2017