(Updated Nov. 6, 2015): The  2015 Santa Claus Parade in Toronto will be held on Sunday Nov. 15, 2015. Most other details follow directly from 2014. Cheer the athletes in the Holly Jolly 5Km run which starts at noon. Buy a red nose from the Air Cadets. The parade starts at 12:30pm, and follows the same route.

The 2014 Santa Claus Parade in Toronto returns on Sunday Nov. 16. This annual winter Toronto event says “start your engines” for thinking about winter holidays. What are the attractions? Where should you go to watch this parade? (Added Nov. 14, 2014): Or if you want to head out of town, consider “21 GTA Santa Claus Parades in 2014“.

Just Before the Toronto Santa Claus Parade

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade’s opening act is the Holly Jolly 5Km Run, starting at noon. It’s a brilliant way to give spectators something to see and to cheer for – the runners pay for the privilege, and the fees help subsidize the parade. This is only the second year for this 5Km run.

Speaking to my fellow recreational runners: you’re unlikely to find as many spectators per kilometre at any other Canadian road race event. That’s because the Holly Jolly 5Km Run follows the parade route. And this may be the only Toronto road closure for sports that is not greeted with “Get off the street so I can drive my car” complaints in the Twitterverse or in angry letters to newspaper editors.

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade Route and Attractions

The Holly Jolly 5Km Run follows the Santa Claus Parade route. It starts eastbound from Bloor & Bathurst, turns south onto Queen’s Park and University Ave., and east onto Wellington and Front. The finish line is near the St. Lawrence Market; the floats “disappear” at Front & Jarvis.

The parade itself begins just a bit west of Bathurst, at Christie Pits, but I’d pick a spot anywhere further along the route in order to watch both the run and the parade.

The parade itself features floats, marching bands, volunteer performers such as the upside-down clowns, and the highly anticipated visit by Santa Claus. The parade launches at 12:30pm.

The 2014 Santa Claus Parade has more floats than ever, with strong entries from Toronto’s professional sports teams. Since both the Maple Leafs and the Raptors are winning over 50% of their games (as of Nov. 13, 2014), there’s reason to cheer when their floats appear.

Tips for Watching the Santa Claus Parade in Toronto

The usual advice includes:

• Take transit, due to road closures for the parade. I’d pick the northern edge, and take the Number 2 (Bloor-Danforth) subway line to the St. George station.
• Dress warm, with some protection from wind, snow or drizzle. I’d wear an empty backpack to store a layer of clothing if it turns out that I’m too warm. Comfortable but dry shoes would be smart, too, or perhaps boots.
• For your children, plan on a spot near a coffee shop for washroom breaks. Then buy a coffee or hot chocolate for the kids. And bring a small variety of things to keep them amused while they wait. A Kindle reader might be a good choice.
• If you spot Air Cadets selling “red noses”, buy one to support them as well as the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. And it helps keep your nose warm.
• The best wheelchair access should be at Berczy Park on Front Street, according to the official Toronto Santa Claus Parade web site.

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Your best-laid plans will come to naught if you’re tardy; the sidewalks will get pretty crowded along the parade route.

Looking for More Winter Holiday Ideas?

If you’re thinking about a frugal holiday office party this season, consider including the “Secret Santa Gift Exchange”. Have people sign up; put each name on a separate piece of paper; and hand out the slips. Give clear guidelines on spending limits. Part of the fun is to sneak presents onto people’s desks when they’re not looking; or you could simply hand out wrapped presents at the office party.

My blog tracks many of the annual Toronto events that I find interesting, free or frugal. Last year I’d written “Toronto Santa Claus Parade 2013 and Holly Jolly Fun Run“

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, Decoded Pregnancy and other online sites. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles on this site.

Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Thanks for reading about the 2014 Santa Claus Parade in Toronto.

Need ideas for celebrating the 2014 Family Day in Toronto? Six of Toronto’s civic museums host special Family Day programs this year.

With one exception, each event takes place only on Monday Feb. 17, 2014, the upcoming Family Day in Ontario. Most are easily accessible by TTC, although the long, steep walk down Pottery Road to Todmorden Mills could be slippery.

Fort York for the 2014 Family Day in Toronto

Open from 11am through 4pm, Fort York invites children to participate in the Officers’ Sword Drill. If the weather cooperates, you may build snow forts. The kitchen will demonstrate how they made and served hot drinks and snacks. I assume regular admission costs apply.

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Fort York is at 100 Garrison Road, off Bathurst and north of both Lake Shore Blvd and the CNE.

Read more about this Toronto landmark in “Historic Fort York, 1793-1993” (Canadian or American Kindle versions). Although Fort York lost its first battle in the War of 1812, it successfully defended what would become Toronto in 1812. What purposes has Fort York served since that time?

Montgomery’s Inn to Host an Irish Ceilidh for Family Day 2014

From 1pm to 5pm, enjoy an Irish Ceilidh dance workshop which is included in admission at Montgomery’s Inn. (It’s well under $7 for adults; and even less for children or seniors). The kitchen will make snacks; Nan Brien will tell stories by the fireplace at 1:30 and 3:30pm.

Montgomery’s Inn is at 4709 Dundas Street West at Islington Avenue.

Scarborough Museum Family Day Weekend Feb. 15-17, 2014

The Scarborough Museum is the only Toronto civic museum hosting a Family Day weekend in 2014, rather than concentrating on the Monday. So you have a choice of Saturday, Sunday or Monday from noon to 4pm. Make crafts or join a scavenger hunt. The kitchen will also be working on snacks appropriate for their historic period. Pay what you can.

The Scarborough Museum is at 1007 Brimley Road, just north of Lawrence Ave. Landmarks include: “northwest of the Scarborough Hospital”; “in Thompson Memorial Park”; and “just north of the Gatineau Hydro Corridor”.

The 2014 Family Day at the Spadina Museum

The Spadina Museum will conduct 5 tours between noon and 5pm (the final tour starts at 4pm). These highlight the Austin family’s life in the 1920s and 30s. What music did they enjoy? What toys did the children play with? Regular admission is under $10 adults and less for children & seniors.

The Spadina Museum is at 285 Spadina Road at Austin Terrace, just north of Casa Loma. By TTC, it’s quite a walk south from St. Clair Avenue, but it’s pretty flat. Both the 127 Davenport bus and 26 Dupont bus routes run south of Casa Loma, so that’s a steep climb uphill.

Family Day 2014 at Todmorden Mills

Todmorden Mills puts the focus on the owls of the Don Valley from noon to 4pm. However, you can also tour the homes, and especially the kitchen. Admission is well under $7 for adults; and even less for children or seniors.

Todmorden Mills is at 67 Pottery Road, which connects Broadview Avenue (at Mortimer Avenue) with Bayview Avenue (well south of Moore Park and well north of Bloor Street).

Since I’d made this map for Todmorden Mills for a previous article, let’s use it here too.

Paper and Pop-up at the Zion Schoolhouse for 2014 Family Day

The historic one-room Zion Schoolhouse will highlight paper and paper crafts, from Victorian times to the present. Admission, but children must be accompanied by an adult; and they will accept donations.

What About Family Day in Canada?

Please see my recent article, “When is the 2014 Family Day in Canada?” for the different provincial approaches to this much-needed February holiday. Your province might give it a name or date different from Ontario’s.

How to Learn about Events at Civic Museums in Toronto

I referenced “What’s On at Toronto Museums” on Feb. 8, 2014. I clicked on the museum’s name, and then on the appropriate event title. My guess is that this page will change over time, so my future readers (from 2015 onward) should check it as the ongoing accurate source of information.

(Added Feb. 10, 2014) Two Other Family Day Attractions in Toronto and the GTA

If you’re willing to spend a bit more for your Family Day in Toronto, head to the International Centre for “Toronto Kids Fest“. It bills itself as “Canada’s largest inflatable festival”. It runs on Sunday (11am to 6pm) and Monday (9am to 6pm), Feb. 16-17, 2014. Admission is $5 for adults; $15 for toddlers under age 2 to play on the “rides”; $25 for children 2 and over; and the youngest who cannot go into or onto the inflatables are admitted free.

This event offers free parking, unlimited indoor rides with admission, and live on-stage entertainment. The International Centre is at 6900 Airport Road, at Derry Road East, so it’s technically part of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) in Malton.

Actually inside Toronto, at Downsview Park, the “Family Fun Fest” offers even more than inflatable rides and live entertainment. If you’ve watched any of the gold miners on Discovery Channel, you will want to try your hand at “gemstone mining”. Pan for minerals and an arrowhead. Tickets range from $8 general admission for adults, up to $50 for a child’s day pass with a bunch of pre-paid extras. There’s a discount for buying your tickets online. If I had children in the target age range, I’d read the web site’s explanations carefully to get the best deal.

“Family Fun Fest” runs Saturday through Monday, Feb. 15-17, at Downsview Park. The address is 40 Carl Hall Road, but it’s south of Sheppard Ave. West between Keele Street and Allen Road. They’re open 10am-5pm, 10am-6pm, and 9am-6pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday respectively.

(Added Feb. 16, 2014) Toronto Beach Village “Family Sunday in the Beach”

My apologies this delayed notice of the annual Family Sunday in the Beach, which runs from noon to 5pm in Toronto’s Eastern Beach neighbourhood. Head for Queen St. East and the eastern terminus of the 501 Queen street car at Neville Park Blvd. More free activities are located in Kew Gardens (south side of Queen, between Bellefair and Lee Avenues) and Ivan Forrest Gardens (north side of Queen, at Glen Manor Drive).

Looking for More Annual Events or a Holiday in Toronto Canada?

You can find more annual events for your vacation in Toronto Ontario; or for local residents wanting things to do in Toronto this weekend.

Ideas for a Toronto Vacation or Staycation

This blog tracks many of the annual Toronto events that I find interesting, and provides ideas for fascinating, free or frugal things to do in Toronto. I especially like to cover summer attractions and special events in Toronto Canada; but especially for Canadian holidays.

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, Decoded Pregnancy and my Fitness and Weight Control blog. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles on this site.

Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Thanks for reading about six civic museums where you can enjoy the 2014 Family Day in Toronto.

The upcoming 2014 Groundhog Day in Canada will be a bit more crowded, with Dundas Donna competing against Wiarton Willie and Groundhog Gary to predict when Ontario will change from winter to spring.

(Updated Jan. 27, 2016): My latest is “The North American 2016 Groundhog Day“. (Added Jan. 31, 2015): “Prepare for Groundhog Day 2015 in Canada and in the USA” is ready to report on the predictions.

But who is this new weather prognosticator? What do we really know about the mysterious Dundas Donna?

Facts and Speculations about Groundhog Dundas Donna

Dundas Donna will make her Groundhog Day predictions from Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario. That’s all the news identically reported by CITY-TV and 680News in Toronto, a “power couple” in Toronto’s TV, radio and media business. (Added Feb. 2, 2014): The time of the forecast was to be 1:30pm. This allows spectators to take a TTC subway to Yonge-Dundas Square for the ceremony.

My assumption is that Dundas Donna is indeed a groundhog. She hasn’t published a selfie or an autobiography. Feel free to follow @dundasdonna on Twitter, if you trust what you read posted online.

At the time of writing, I could not find independent confirmation of an event from the official Yonge-Dundas Square web site, nor from the official City of Toronto site.

CP24, a cable news channel which recently became a rival of CITY-TV, has no entry for the groundhog “Dundas Donna” at this time. My further speculation is that whoever CITY-TV or 680 News reporter was assigned to drive to Wiarton for Sunday’s Groundhog Day prediction suggested it’d be cheaper to hire a local groundhog. But that’s all pure speculation on my part.

When is Groundhog Day in Canada?

Groundhog Day is an annual winter event, on the second day of February in Canada and in the United States.

Other Weather Predicting Groundhogs in Canada

Wiarton Willie, the albino groundhog, lives in the southern section of the Bruce Peninsula northwest of Owen Sound and northeast of Sauble Beach. His forecasts of early or late spring go back to about 1958 or so. Ontario also has Groundhog Gary in Kleinburg.

Shubenacadie Sam works in Nova Scotia, and makes the first prediction on Feb. 2nd. Balzac Billy, known as “the Prairie Prognosticator”, is actually a Richardson’s Ground Squirrel. He does a fine job for Calgary, Alberta.

Québec hosts Fred la Marmotte. Manitoba has a trio: Winnipeg Willow, Manitoba Merv (at the Oak Hammock Marsh) and Brandon Bob.

Did I miss anyone? Please e-mail me so I can add your favourite to this list.

Several All-American Groundhogs

Probably the most famous weather forecasting groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil Sowerby of Pennsylvania. Other proud American woodchucks include Buckeye Chuck in Ohio; General Beauregard Lee in Georgia; and Staten Island Chuck of New York.

A Further Guide to Groundhog Day

Last year I wrote “The 2013 Groundhog Day in Canada and the USA“, which provided the links to sites for many of these groundhogs. Read that article to learn how to find your local woodchuck for Groundhog Day 2014.

What to do on Groundhog Day? The obvious thing is to visit your local weather predictor. In Toronto, I had suggested looking for woodchucks at the Metro Toronto Zoo on Groundhog Day. Now, I can add “Or go downtown to Yonge-Dundas Square”. However, since it’s a Sunday morning and they haven’t announced the time of the big reveal, it’s hard to recommend taking the subway if the trains don’t start running before the show starts.

(Added Feb. 2, 2014 and updated Feb. 3, 2014): The 2014 Groundhog Day Roundup of Predictions

The groundhogs have spoken their 2014 Groundhog Day Prediction, but not with a united voice.

Saw a Shadow, so Retreated for Six Weeks of Winter

These marmots retreated from their scary shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of winter:

• Dundas Donna, a coati from South America, predicted March 19 as the end of winter. That’s 6 1/2 weeks away;
• Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania;
• Staten Island Chuck, aka Charles G. Hogg, in New York;
• Wiarton Willie in Wiarton, Ontario.

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Note that Dundas Donna’s “March 19” is the earliest possible date for the vernal equinox, the start of spring based on solar astronomy. In 2014, the spring equinox officially takes place on “March 20 at 12:57pm” according to Almanac.com. The usual groundhog “start of spring” refers to a seasonal warming trend.

Saw No Shadow, so Called for an Early Spring

Cloudy skies allowed these woodchucks to forecast an early spring:

• Balzac Billy in Alberta;
• Buckeye Chuck in Ohio;
• Fred la Marmotte in Québec;
• General Beauregard Lee in Georgia;
• Manitoba Merv in Manitboa;
• Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia;
• Winnipeg Willow in Manitoba.

Not Yet Reported

These groundhogs need better media coverage of their weather predictions for 2014:

• Brandon Bob of Brandon, Manitoba;
• Groundhog Gary in Kleinburg, Ontario.

(Added Feb. 2 2014): What is a Coati?

Dundas Donna is a coati; by appearances, she is a “ring-tailed coatimundi”. They have an extensive range in South America. A relative of the raccoon, this omnivorous mammal forms social groups of four to two dozen females and young males. Adult males are solitary except during mating season. Hopefully Dundas Donna will be housed with some female friends while awaiting her next big workday.

By the way, as I write this at 3:55pm, I see bright sunshine.

.

(Added Feb. 2 2014): Enjoy Groundhog Day Carols

Go for the full kitsch. Amazon offers a Kindle book called “Carols for Groundhog’s Day” through its online Canadian and American sites.  Learn the lyrics to over a dozen Groundhog Day carols; the tunes are familiar Christmas carols. As a bonus, this volume offers recipes and decorating tips. “Can you believe the American version is selling at a discount price?”, he asked with a smile.

Looking for More Annual Events or a Holiday in Toronto Canada?

You can find more annual events for your vacation in Toronto Ontario; or for local residents wanting things to do in Toronto this weekend.

Ideas for a Toronto Vacation or Staycation

This blog tracks the annual Toronto events that I find most interesting, and provides ideas for fascinating, free or frugal things to do in Toronto. I especially like to cover special events in Toronto Canada, especially for Canadian holidays.

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, Decoded Pregnancy and my Fitness and Weight Control blog. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles on this site.

Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Thanks for reading about the upcoming, somewhat more crowded 2014 Groundhog Day in Canada.