Organizers scrambled to raise money for Flamborough Santa Claus Parade

After a two-year hiatus because of covid and construction, the popular Flamborough Santa Claus Parade is being held once again on Saturday. The cost to put on the event is significantly higher than in years past.

The parade was in jeopardy because of skyrocketing costs, “we were running along smoothly and then we received a notification that we had a higher insurance bill than we’d anticipated because we need a third-party liability insurance and then we had a donor that was unable to fulfill their commitment,” parade organizer Stephanie Wilsack said.

The insurance alone went from an estimated $1,200 dollars to about $7,000. That combined with the loss of a big donation left the organizing committee $9,000 short.

“We understand this is a different time and we understand the challenges that are out there. We just wish we’d had a little bit more notice so that we could have planned accordingly,” Wilsack said.

The Flamborough Santa Claus Parade starts on Hamilton Street in Waterdown and finishes on Parkside Drive.

Organizers say that with the help of the community they’ve raised enough to put the parade on but they say they’re counting on that continued support moving forward.

You can donate on the Flamborough Santa Claus Parade website, or during the event, there will be donation buckets. The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.