Santa Claus Parade-Volunteer or Register a Christmas Float

Want to get on Santa’s ‘Nice’ list this Christmas? Volunteer and float registration opens today for this year’s Santa Claus Parade & Lights of Christmas presented by Country 93.3.

“We’re inviting volunteers to register for the parade and get the best seat in the house as Santa makes his way through downtown Fort McMurray,” said Parade coordinator, Megan Stringer. “This is also a great opportunity for community groups and businesses to register a float and be seen in the parade.” The theme of this year’s parade is ‘Holly Jolly Christmas.’

Every year, the local volunteer community has been helping the Santa Claus Parade
festivities to be a success. More than 50 floats participated in last year’s Parade, and
nearly 5,000 spectators came out to see Santa. December 5^th is going to be a festive day in Fort McMurray with the Santa Claus Parade starting at 6:30 p.m., and the Lights of Christmas in Jubilee Plaza at 5 p.m. Residents are also invited to visit the Elves’ Workshop, hosted by the Wood Buffalo Regional Library at MacDonald Island Park from 12:00 – 4:30 p.m.

To volunteer, register a float, or find out more, visit www.rmwb.ca/santa, or email
megan.stringer@rmwb.ca.

Registration is open until November 23^rd. For additional details please contact Megan Stringer, megan.stringer@rmwb.ca or visit http://www.rmwb.ca/santa.

The Chelsea Arts Club New Years Eve Ball

From the LIFE archives, photographed by Anthony Linck and George Rodger. 

If you woke up yesterday with a skull busting headache, a lampshade on your head, and a face blooming with ten different shades of lipstick kisses; you would have enjoyed the Chelsea Arts Club, New Years Eve Ball.   

The Chelsea Arts Club is a private members club located in London with a membership of over 2,400, including artists, poets, architects, writers, dancers, actors, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers. The club was established on 21 March 1891 (in Chelsea), as a rival to the older Arts Club in Mayfair, on the instigation of the artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler, who had been a (sometimes controversial) member of the older club. (Wikipedia.org)

The club has a rich history and one shining gem from its past is their infamous New Years’ Eve Ball which was banned in 1958 after 50 years of reverie. The party featured a parade of floats created by artists that made a tour of the dance floor during the evening. The floats became the focus of a chaotic tradition; the frenzied crowd would destroy them while security guards desperately tried to prevent the madness. The fighting and destruction would usually result in minor injuries and in a few cases some had to be hospitalized. 

The festivities included other acts of “uncivilized behavior” which included reports of public nudity, drunken displays of affection, fighting, and unreserved homosexuality (which was still illegal at the time and punishable by a two year prison sentence or chemical castration-YIKES!). The ball was one of the few places where gay people could freely express themselves and come out of hiding for an evening of celebration.

Here is a video from 1954 showing the grand ball;

Call for Volunteers for the Santa Claus Parade -Nov 23, 2013

It's the time again to be thinking about the upcoming holiday season and spreading cheer to all 
throughout the region! As an annual tradition in the Wood Buffalo region, the Legacy Dodge 
Santa Claus Parade rings in the holiday season and lights up the night. The theme for this 
year’s celebration is “Lights of Christmas” and it is taking place the evening of Saturday, November 23, 2013.

If you are volunteering on November 18th - 20th, please check in at the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Future Forward Office (9717 Franklin Ave, across from the Court House) 15 minutes before your shift. If you are volunteering for any shift on the 23rd, please check in at the parade office (which will be at Prairie Loop Blvd and Hospital St) 15 minutes before your shift and remember to dress warm!
If you have any questions please email arndis.bildfell@woodbuffalo.ab.ca or call Arndis at 780.788.4345!

To volunteer for the Santa Claus Parade, click here.

Canada Day Parade 2013 Registration

Make this Place Your Home!

On Monday, July 1st, at 11 AM, the Canada Day Parade will commence at the corner of Riedel Street and Franklin Avenue, and travel through the downtown core before turning off at Morrison Street. Festivities continue throughout the afternoon and into the evening with barbecues, sports, music and games, finally wrapping up at 11 PM with a spectacular fireworks show.

Join our parade, flaunt your civic pride, and celebrate this place we all call home!

To access the registration for for the Canada Day Parade, please visit:

http://ymmcanadaday.com/canada-day-parade/

The Parade Registration form follows. If you have any questions, call Events Wood Buffalo at
780.791.1600 or visit their offices at 10014 Main Street, Fort McMurray.

Events Wood Buffalo announces the 2013 Canada Day Parade!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Fort McMurray, AB, April 12, 2013) – On July 1, Let’s Celebrate!

Whether you’ve lived here all or part of your life, or have just arrived to Wood Buffalo, Events Wood Buffalo invites you to help us make this the best Canada Day Parade ever!

On July 1 Canadians celebrate our nation’s birthday. Across the country, from coast to coast, we celebrate a land rich in resources, achievement, excellence and integrity. We celebrate the diversity of our nationalities and cultures.

Creating festivals and events to celebrate our diverse culture is what Events Wood Buffalo does. Regardless of where you come from, or how long you’ve been here, Wood Buffalo is the

home we share. We want to know what home means to you.....and what it means to be Canadian.

On Monday, July 1, 2013 at 11 AM, the Canada Day Parade will commence at the corner of Riedel Street and Franklin Avenue, and travel through the downtown core before turning off at Morrison Street. Festivities continue throughout the afternoon and into the evening with barbecues, sports, music and games, finally wrapping up at 11 PM with a spectacular fireworks show.

Join our parade, flaunt your patriotic and civic pride, and celebrate this place we all call home!

The Parade Registration form is available at eventswoodbuffalo.com

For more information:
www.eventswoodbuffalo.com

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/EventsWoodBuffalo Follow us on Twitter @Events_YMM

Canada Day: A Pancake Celebration

Good Morning Community,

Enclosed find the road map to celebrating Canada Day during the parade procession. The Multicultural Association will take her place in the Parade with a colorful banner held in front by two of our eminent board members followed by the community of the Region. We are proud that you have prepared and will come in your huge numbers to give a true mosaic of multiculturalism. Come as you are with your flag, traditional dress and that is what makes Canada unique and special among nations of the world, a nation of nations.

Make sure you are not delayed by preparation for breakfast for we have breakfast ready for you at seven o'clock at Pond Crescent Park just opposite the Center of Hope along Franklin Avenue. Hot pan cakes with Canadian maple syrup, sausage and a drink of your choice will be served by community volunteers clothed in Multicultural Association and Suncor embossed white T Shirts. It will be fun for the year. Bring children to experience this event.

We wish to thank our sponsors for this event: Suncor Energy, Sobeys (Downtown), Save-on Foods (Downtown) Walmart, Safeway and Seven Eleven (Downtown). We thank community volunteers and the volunteers from Suncor.

I conclude by thanking the community in the hope you will be there and that your participation in Canada Day will make Fort McMurray trully unique and special. Thank you to our board of directors and indeed my staff whose commitment is invaluable.

Join us in enjoying, celebrating and upholding our independence on Canada Day.

Andrew M Manyevere
Executive Director
(biz)780-791-5186, (fax)780-791-5189
www.multiculturefm.org
Multicultural Association Of Fort McMurray