Canadian superheroes led by real-life superheroes at the 2014 Guelph Community Santa Parade

DGBA press release.

2014 Guelph Community Santa Parade Event Date: Sunday November 16th

Location: Downtown Guelph

Admission: Free

Canadian superheroes highlighted at the newly extended 2014 Guelph Community Santa Parade

Canadian superheroes, cowboys and lots of elves will captivate the crowds in Downtown Guelph at the annual Community Santa Parade. Taking place on Sunday 16th November at 1.30pm, the parade will wind its way through historic downtown Guelph starting from Woolwich Street At Powell Street (previously Woolwich at London).

You can find the parade route map HERE.

The route has been extended north to accommodate the increase in spectators that the event saw in 2013.

The Guelph Food Bank will kick off the parade at 1.30pm and collect those non-perishable items.

With them you’ll find Canada Post collecting your letters to Santa.

At 1.45pm the grand parade opener will set off.

Canadian Superheroes such as Wolverine, Superman, Nelvana of the Northern Lights, Arrowhead, Captain Canuck and Equinox will be showcased on a float built by Turtleshell Studios.

Event organiser Sam Jewell says ‘people might know that Wolverine is Canadian, but lesser known is the fact that Superman was co-created by a Canadian and Clark Kent first worked at the Daily Star, based on the Toronto Star.

Also his hometown of Metropolis was based on Toronto’.

One of the two female superheroes, Nelvana of the Northern Lights, was Canada’s first ever comic book superhero in 1941 and was based on a real-life Inuit woman.

Cecile Lyall, who will play Nelvana at the parade, is from the same community as the original Nelvana and is excited to travel to Guelph for the parade. ‘She was a role model in my community and I’m very proud to be here and show her to the people of Guelph’.

Two real-life superheroes will act as Honorary Parade Marshalls and lead the event this year.

Tracy Couglin, a girl with autism, was told she would never talk or walk.

She has proved everyone wrong and done both.

Adrianna Vanos was 14 when she gave evidence to the police that led to the capture of a hit and run driver.

We are proud that they will lead our hero-themed parade.

An event at award-winning comics and games store, The Dragon, will give parade-goers the chance to meet with their superheroes.

Based in the warmth of Old Quebec Street Shoppes, the store will run the event directly after the parade and will have Captain Canuck costume creator Kalman Andrasofsky signing for fans, as well as Nelvana historian Hope Nicholson to tell us all about Canada’s first female superhero.

Also in attendance, local illustrator and creator of Arrowhead, Jay Stephens.

Historically the parade has been organized by a service club, namely The Kinsmen.

Now run by the Downtown Guelph Business Association, remaining Kinsmen, along with over 100 other volunteers will get floats in line on the day, keep the crowds safe, or don costumes and entertain the thousands of spectators.

Join us on Sunday November 16th
for entertainment, jiving and superhero story-telling.