Magic on Main Street

Magic on Main Street returns to Penticton on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. More updates will be posted closer to the date.

Santa Claus Parade & Light Up

Ho, ho, ho! This magical event features dozens of floats taking part in the Santa Claus Parade, followed by the official light up reveal at Gyro Park. The parade starts at 4:45 p.m. from White Avenue and will proceed north along Main Street toward Lakeshore Drive. At Gyro Park, there will live music, photos with Santa and the official light up at 6 p.m.

The City is offering a free Park ‘n’ Ride shuttle service through BC Transit from Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, operating on a continuous loop every 15 minutes. Get more details below.

When: Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 (Parade: 4:45 p.m., Light Up: 6 p.m.)
Where: Downtown Penticton, with light up at Gyro Park

Free Park & Ride Bus Service

The City is offering a free Park, Shop ‘n’ Ride shuttle service through BC Transit from Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, where residents can park, shop and ride downtown. This will operate on a continuous loop between the shopping centre and downtown Penticton every 15 minutes from 4 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. Simply hop on, hop off.

The three bus stops will include the following, with a bus arriving every 15 minutes between 4-7:20 p.m.
- Cherry Lane Shopping Centre (from the bus shelter on Atkinson Street, north of Warren Avenue)
- Martin Street at Wade Avenue
- Gyro Park (on Martin Street behind the park, near Lakeshore Drive)
Have questions?
Berry & Smith operate BC Transit in Penticton and can be reached by phoning 250-492-4042. For other BC Transit inquiries, visit bctransit.com.

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Look for these signs at the shuttle bus stops:

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Road Closure Details

A section of Main Street will be temporarily closed to traffic on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, to allow for the Santa Claus Parade. Consider using the free BC Transit shuttle bus service between Cherry Lane Shopping Centre (on Atkinson Street, north of Warren Avenue) and downtown Penticton, with more details listed above.

The downtown section of Main Street, between Eckhardt Avenue and Lakeshore Drive, will face road closures starting at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1. Drivers are asked to plan ahead and move their vehicles from the street in that area by 2:30 p.m. to ensure the route is clear for floats. The sections will reopen on a rolling basis, with the entire stretch open again by 8 p.m.
Floats taking part in the parade will stage in the Penticton High School parking lot, so motorists and residents in the area should be aware that there will be slow-moving parade traffic and traffic control personnel on Eckhardt Avenue between the school and Main Street.
Parade and event details
The parade starts at 4:45 p.m. from White Avenue and will proceed north along Main Street toward Lakeshore Drive. At Gyro Park, there will live music, photos with Santa and the official light up reveal taking place at 6 p.m.

A Sprinkle of Magic

The magical weekend begins a day ahead, on Saturday, Nov. 30, with A Sprinkle of Magic, presented by the Downtown Penticton Association. This event will take place downtown from 12 noon until 4 p.m., with festive activities, opportunities to get a jump on your holiday shopping, photos with Santa and more.

Learn more!

Seeking Volunteers

We're looking for volunteers to help during the parade! Duties include barricade intersection control, marshalling assistance and parade route support. If interested, please email volunteer@penticton.ca.

Entering a Float in the Parade

Entries for the Santa Claus Parade are now closed.

Organizations have until Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 to apply to enter a float into the parade. Forms may be filled out online or printed out and filled out on paper. Please email events@penticton.ca if you have any questions.
Fill out the application form online
Download a copy of the form to print and fill out

Liability Waiver
If you are taking part in the Santa Claus Parade, please fill out this waiver online.
Fill out the Santa Claus Parade liability waiver

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