Santa Claus will be visiting Saint John once again this weekend.
The 20th annual Lancaster Santa Claus Parade takes place on Saturday.
It is the final year for the parade, which is one of two holiday parades in Saint John.
Organizers say interest has waned in recent years and many entries now participate in the nearby Grand Bay-Westfield parade.
The parade begins at 1 p.m. and will travel along Manawagonish Road from Catherwood Street to Main Street West.
It will then turn right onto Ready Street, left onto Catherwood Street and right onto Fairville Boulevard before ending just past Aquarius Towers.
Island View School and the West Side Food Bank will be collecting non-perishable food items. Canadian Union of Postal Workers members will be collecting letters for Santa.
Several streets will be closed from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. for the parade, including Manawagonish Road between O’Brien Street and Main Street West, Main Street West from Church Avenue to Ready Street, Ready Street, Catherwood Street, and Fairville Boulevard from Catherwood Street to Aquarius Court.
Saint John Transit has also announced a number of detours and service interruptions which will begin at around 12:30 p.m. and last until 2:30 p.m.
There will be no service provided to Lancaster Mall and the Fairville Boulevard Plaza during the parade.
#1W Lancaster Mall
The bus will run from Simms Corner, left on Lancaster Avenue to Dunn Avenue.
#1E McAllister Place / Field House
The bus will run to Dunn Avenue, left on Cushing Street, left on Tilton, left on Havelock, left on Lancaster Avenue to Simms Corner to the regular route.
#15W Harbour Bridge
Westbound service will only be provided as far as Molson Avenue and Bleury Street.
#15S Harbour Bridge
Southbound service will start from Molson Avenue and Bleury Street.
FLEX West
The following stops along the parade route will not be serviced for the duration of the parade:
- Sobeys Plaza
- Lancaster Mall
- Church and Main
- Harding
- Walnut and Main
- Westwind and Golden Mile
- Canadian Tire and Golden Mile
- Manawagonish and Coster
Direct transfers from FLEX West to Route 1 and 15 will not be available for the duration of the parade.
