Montreal Santa Claus Parade Returns November 21 for Its 74th Edition, Free Along René-Lévesque

Montreal's Santa Claus Parade (Défilé du Père Noël) returns for its 74th edition on Saturday, November 21, at 11 a.m. along René-Lévesque Boulevard in downtown Montreal, organized by Montréal centre-ville. The parade is free to watch and goes ahead rain, snow or shine. It starts at Drummond Street and travels east to Saint-Urbain Street, finishing at about 12:30 p.m. (Photo: a previous edition of the parade, file photo, credit: Montréal centre-ville.)

About ten floats and more than 1,000 performers and volunteers

The organizer says this year's parade features about ten floats, marching bands and more than 1,000 performers and volunteers, with Santa Claus and the Star Fairy (Fée des étoiles) as the stars of the show. This year's Star Fairy is Marie-Yasmine "Mimi" Alidou, a midfielder for the Montréal Roses soccer team. A new Christmas-themed float featuring Montreal landmarks will also debut.

Where to watch and how to get there

The organizer suggests arriving between 9:30 and 10 a.m. to find a good viewing spot; the main viewing stretch runs between Bishop and Saint-Urbain streets. The nearest metro stations are Peel, McGill and Place-des-Arts on the Green line, and Lucien-L'Allier, Bonaventure and Place-d'Armes on the Orange line. The parade dates back to 1925, with a break from 1969 to 1995; the 73rd edition took place on November 22, 2025. TVA will air a one-hour parade highlights special on Saturday, November 28, from 5 to 6 p.m.