The 2012 Santa Claus Parade is an incredibly popular annual winter tradition in Toronto. Here is what you need to know to make the most of this Toronto winter event: the date, time, route and extra tips.

(Added Nov. 9, 2013): After you’ve read the “Obvious and Subtle Tips…” section below, you will want to learn what’s new from my “Toronto Santa Claus Parade 2013 and Holly Jolly Fun Run“.

Quick Facts about the 2012 Santa Claus Parade in Toronto

Here are the bare minimum facts you need to find and enjoy the 2012 Toronto Santa Claus Parade.

Date and Time of the 2012 Santa Claus Parade

The date of the 2012 Toronto Santa Claus Parade is Sunday, November 18, 2012.

The start time for the parade is 12:30pm, just after noon. Be sure to claim your place along the parade route before that time.

The Route of the 2012 Toronto Santa Claus Parade

The Santa Claus parade route for 2012 begins at Christie Pits. They march east along Bloor, past Bathurst and Spadina.

The parade turns south from Bloor onto Queen’s Park Circle. (Avenue Road is to the north). They are slated to follow the eastern half of the circle, which would go against the usual flow of traffic.

The Santa Claus parade continues south on University Avenue, past College, Dundas and Queen. They turn east onto Wellington St.,  crossing Yonge and Church streets to finish on Front Street at the St. Lawrence Market.

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade and the 2012 Grey Cup

By special arrangement for 2012 only, the Santa Claus Parade in Toronto will include representatives from the 100th Grey Cup Festival. Those good folk should include “cheerleaders” and “alumni”. Read my quick introduction to all the “Free Events for the 2012 Grey Cup Festival in Toronto” if you want to make it a week of Grey Cup 2012 activities.

Obvious and Subtle Tips to Enjoy Toronto’s 2012 Santa Claus Parade

Let’s consider the obvious hints first.

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Wear comfortable shoes or boots; you should expect to stand for quite a while.

Don’t even think about driving downtown for Toronto’s Santa Claus parade. It’s obvious from the route that several major streets will be closed, and others will be cut due to the parade. In fact, don’t drive downtown for any other reason on that Sunday. If you absolutely must drive: skip church this Sunday morning; park in a “Green P” lot; have lunch early at a family restaurant in downtown Toronto; and plan to wait a while after the parade before driving home.

The obvious alternative to driving is to take the TTC subway to your destination. Almost all the intersections noted above, along the parade route, have subway stations. I wouldn’t count on the east-west streetcars, such as 506 Carlton (along Gerrard and College) or 501 Queen, to be able to stay on schedule from around the noon hour.

We’ve covered the blindingly obvious; now let’s be a bit more subtle.

The Toronto Santa Claus parade is always a major attraction. You want to find your curbside location early enough so your children can stand and watch. The alternative is to “take a row” farther back and hoist your youngster on your back.

Scout out the neighbourhood for a fast food restaurant or other location with a public washroom. Someone in your family will probably appreciate it. The Eaton Centre is one possibility; so are the many fast-food franchise restaurants on the main streets. Personally, I’d look down a cross-street. For example, while there is a Tim Horton’s on University near Edward St. (north of Dundas St.), the Druxy’s Deli is just a bit east along Edward St. If the Druxy’s is open Sunday afternoon, it would be less crowded than Tim’s.

The official Toronto Santa Claus Parade web site offers more hints, including “how to keep your children amused before the parade” and “where is a wheelchair accessible viewing location?”. (Activity books or, may I add, cell phone games provide amusement. Front Street’s Berczy Park is the location they recommend for the physically challenged).

Looking for More Annual Toronto Events?

If you miss the main downtown 2012 Santa Claus Parade in Toronto other areas may provide alternatives. I will let you know if I find some; or leave me a comment!

Check the “annual events” or “Toronto events” categories toward the end of the left-hand menu.

Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to the organizer(s); I am not reimbursed for writing this article. However, DeHaan Services does write web site or advertising copy for clients. Our skills are demonstrated in online articles in Decoded Science, and other web sites. That’s why DeHaan Services highlight these online articles on this blog page.