The route and event details have been revealed for the 2022 Southport Christmas Parade!
The spectacular event, featuring scores of colourful and illuminated wagons, trucks and vehicles of all shapes and sizes, takes place on Sunday, 4th December 2022.
It will leave Pontins holiday park in Ainsdale at 4pm before travelling through Ainsdale, Hillside, Birkdale, ending at the Promenade in Southport town centre.
Hosted by Creation Nation Events Ltd and sponsored by EFT Systems Ltd, the parade will be donating to children’s organisations all over the North West.
Those taking part are asked to arrive at Pontins any time from 10am and to bring at least one new toy with them to be donated to local children’s charities.
The event was founded by Adam Holmes-Brown. He said: “You’re in for a right treat this year!
“We have a whole lot of amazing vehicles for you all, also some very special guests taking part.
“Santa has allowed to whole Christmas family out to play this year with Santa and a select few of his reindeers; Santa’s Elves Behaving Badly; Mrs Claus; every Christmas event needs an Angel and she will be there with us,
“Santa has even arranged some of your kids favourite characters including Disney’s Mickey and Minnie, Hey Duggee, Sonic The Hedgehog, LOL Doll, Paw Patrol, and Cocomelon, all taking part from Mascot Eddies.
“This year we are coming back in force and we invite you all to line the streets of Southport as we fill it all with lights, music, and Christmas spirit!
“We can’t wait to see you all as we donate thousands of toys to children all over the North West for Christmas.”
The Southport Christmas Parade started in 2013 when the long-running Southport Carnival ended.
Adam Holmes-Brown tried to get it up and running again with a petition from Southport residents.
Adam and Paul Holmes-Brown got together to organise the first parade in 2017 and, apart from the break caused by the Covid pandemic, it has grown in size and quality ever since.
Adam said: “The main aim of the Christmas Parade is to collect new toys and gifts for children who don’t have families, for disabled children, for people who are mentally challenged or those on end of life treatment in hospices.
“In doing this we also spread much needed joy to the residents of Southport and the surrounding areas as we convoy with approximately 450 vehicles exploding with lights, air horns, music and of course Santa always takes part with his sleigh with his elves dancing on the streets as we move and on the decorated floats.
“This year we are looking to donate to several charities including Derian House children’s hospice & Alder Hey children’s hospital but are also aiming to help struggling families and working with the local food banks to help dispatch toys.
“Every year with the growth of the parade we always struggle for a plot of land big enough to start from but with huge thanks to Pontins Ainsdale we have accomplished this.
“We have also struggled financially ourselves as we use our own personal funds to run the event which some years has run into thousands of pounds.
“We are very fortunate this year to have help from our sponsor EFT Systems Ltd which has provided items and staff we have been in much need of.
“We would also like to thank Dave Hall, Leon Corrigan and the guys from VCLbars who organise the Blackpool parade. They help us on the day providing essential equipment, expertises and help in the running of the parade on the day and we really couldn’t do it without them.
“One thing I don’t think the public and the participants realise is the shear volume of work that is involved in organising such an event, the hoops we have to jump through, traffic management, public safety, this is paramount, organising videographers, drones and the whole line-up at the start right through to collection of toys and dispatch of them after the event.
“We hope you’ve enjoyed our story and can’t wait for this year’s Southport Christmas Parade to begin.”
For more details, follow Southport Christmas Parade on Facebook or call Adam on: 07933217294 or Paul on: 07933217311.
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