Written By Jan Sims
ILDERTON - Middlesex Centre has been alive with the sights and sounds of the holiday season. And that includes the popular Christmas Parade, presented by the Ilderton Agricultural Society. This year’s parade took place on Saturday December 14th.
“Our parade started as a drive through event during COVID,” says organizer Barbara Johson. “It is a great seasonal event that is enjoyed by all ages,” adds Johnson.
The parade route began on Robert St., continuing down Ilderton Rd. Participants turned right onto King St., with the parade finishing at the Ilderton Fairgrounds. Along the way, donations were accepted for the food bank. A total of $1259 was raised for the Ailsa Craig & Area Foodbank and 98 kg of food donations.
Of course, for many onlookers the highlight was seeing Santa himself. But viewers could also delight in watching two horse drawn wagons as well as floats from community groups and local businesses.
The fun continued after the parade in the Agriplex, where visitors could enjoy refreshments and have their photo taken with Santa.
Planning for the parade begins well before the holiday season. “Planning starts almost right after our fall fair. We must work with Middlesex Center, Middlesex County and OPP to ensure that the roads are closed and safe for a parade. A lot of our participants contact us to so that they can be a part of this community event,” says Johnson. “We love our community and want to celebrate the Christmas season with folks who live in and around it,” adds Johnson.
