The annual Santa Claus Parade and festive activities in Spirit Square are coming up this Saturday and the weather is expected to be mild.
The timing and weather, if it holds, will be a welcome change to other years when the parade and festivities have been held on Friday nights, which were often very cold.
People are asked to join the parade which will start from the mustering station at Seventh Avenue beside Lake City Ford at 11:30 a.m. and proceed to Spirit Square where there will be activities all day long culminating in the Christmas tree lighting at 4:30 p.m.
Santa and Mrs. Claus and the elves will be there to visit with children. There will be horse drawn wagon rides, live entertainment with bands, carollers, games, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and burgers.
And its all free thanks to local businesses community clubs and the Williams Lake Business Improvement Area organizers.
It will be a busy, busy, busy weekend for shoppers with businesses offering Friday evening and weekend specials and several major craft sales happening in the city at the same time.
The Medieval Market runs Saturday and Sunday at Columneetza Secondary, the Cataline Christmas Craft Sale runs Saturday and Sunday at Cataline elementary school, the Made in the Cariboo Craft Sale runs Saturday at the Tourism Discovery Centre and the Ten Thousand Villages Craft Sale runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Cariboo Bethel Church.
With all the excitement we ask that people to have fun but take extra care driving and walking around the city.
In-between all that holiday shopping we also ask that those who are able to find ways to help the Salvation Army with its Christmas Cheer program by donating whatever they are able to donate in the form of toys, non-perishable food or toy donations to help make Christmas a little brighter for families in need.
In her report to the people the lakecity’s Cpt. Claudine Kadonaga says that food bank use in Williams Lake has risen a staggering 1,000 per cent since the beginning of 2008 well above the national average increase.