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Sidney Sparkles Parade draws thousands

Annual parade helps kick off the holiday season in Sidney

Steve Heywood

News Staff

There were 56 entries in this year’s Sidney Sparkles Parade on Sunday — and only a couple glitches put the start behind schedule for a few minutes.

The crowd cheered as a dead battery was revived and Town Crier Kenny Podmore stepped to the intersection of Beacon Avenue and Resthaven Drive, announcing the start of the event.

There were thousands of people lining Beacon Avenue for the parade, cheering on their favourite floats and other entries. Christmas music — and truck horns — blared and there were lights twinkling in the early evening dark.

Put on by the Peninsula Celebrations Society each year, the parade culminates at the end of Beacon, at First Street, and as it ends, boat owners from local marinas sail past the Sidney waterfront lit up against the inky water.

Here are a sample of some of the News Review’s photos from the parade.