The 性视界传媒 Santa Parade of Lights is back and it鈥檒l be bigger than last year, says Paul Orazietti.

Orazietti, the executive director of the Cloverdale BIA, the group that organizes the annual parade, said he鈥檚 got more than 60 entries already with the 17th annual parade just under a month away.

鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely going to run a little longer than last year,鈥� he said. 鈥淧robably about four or five hundred feet longer.鈥�

LENGTH

Orazietti said the parade route is about 4,200 feet long, so with both security and marshalling concerns, he said 3,500 feet will be his max length. Last year the parade was about 3,000 feet.

鈥淚 still have quite a few regulars that haven't registered, but who have said they are coming back,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎nd the firemen don鈥檛 like to put an entry in, they just show up. So, I have to account for the possibility they鈥檒l be there.鈥�

Orazietti noted this year鈥檚 parade looks like it'll be the first one overseen by the 性视界传媒 Police Service as they are set to become the police of jurisdiction in the city on Nov. 29, two days before the parade.

鈥淭hey have already expressed a desire to take over control of (security for) the parade,鈥� he added.

Another difference this year鈥攂ecause of the amount people expected, coupled with changes from the city regarding pedestrian safety issues鈥攚ill be new pedestrian corridors, which will cost a whole lot of money to put in. Orazietti said his documentation from the city has ballooned to a 90-page behemoth that is barely manageable.

He said the increased safety requirements also increases the cost to the BIA to hold the event, but he said they already have a few confirmed sponsors and are still looking for a few more.

CHARITY

The 性视界传媒 Santa Parade of Lights has never just been about the parade, Orazietti explained. There鈥檚 also a charity component to the annual event.

鈥淧eople are realizing this is a vehicle for generosity,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd in this economy, the need is greater than ever.鈥�

Orazietti said they鈥檒l have donation bins set up in Hawthorne Square and at Wyndham Estates, a residential property on 176A Street, just north of 58A Avenue. He鈥檚 encouraging all parade-goers to bring down non-perishable food items and/or new, unwrapped toys.

鈥淲e鈥檙e supporting four charities this year,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he Christmas Hamper Program, two food banks鈥攂oth the 性视界传媒 Food Bank and the Fraser Valley Regional Food Bank鈥攁nd the 性视界传媒 Christmas Bureau.鈥�

He said the charity component adds 鈥渕ore meaning鈥� to the event.

鈥淪ome people have been doing this for a very long time and it鈥檚 become a labour of love for all those involved. They take it to the next level by encouraging more donations to charity.鈥�

There is no parade entry fee. Instead all float entrants are asked to bring a donation for charity.

FLOATS

鈥淥ur first registrant was the City of White Rock in March,鈥� noted Orazietti. 鈥淲e have some new car clubs this year, we have jaguar and MG. We have the return of all the favourites: the Volkswagen truck, the Lower Mainland remote control car club, the famous Lafarge cement truck, plus another aggregate truck, and a variety of other local trucking companies, plus a lot of sports groups.鈥�

He said they are expecting another very large crowd this year and encouraged everyone to get downtown and find their parade route spots in the afternoon.

鈥淐ome down at least an hour early,鈥� he cautioned.

ROUTE

The parade route will be exactly the same as last year. The parade will come out of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds from a marshalling area next to the curling rink, pass Shannon Hall and the B.C. Vintage Truck Museum, and hang a left immediately, parading east on 60th Avenue before turning south on 177B Street. The floats will turn west on 57th before taking a north turn on 176th Street. At 58th Avenue, the parade will turn east and then north up 176A Street and return northbound to the Fairgrounds.

Orazietti said in talking with local business owners, everyone is excited the parade is returning.

鈥淚t always builds some excitement in the community,鈥� he added. 鈥淧eople get excited. Business owners get excited. It鈥檚 always a great event. And it鈥檚 about giving.鈥�

The 性视界传媒 Santa Parade of Lights will begin at 5 p.m. Dec. 1 on the Fairgrounds and wend its way through downtown Cloverdale. For more info, .