The first drive-thru Santa Claus parade held in Kingsville, or in Essex County for that matter, showed a sense of community but also areas for improvement.
A drive-thru Santa Claus parade was held in Kingsville on Saturday night. The parade route started on Main Street East and went down Division Street South.
"Although we expected a crowd, the ultimate response was incredible yet staggering," read a news release from the Town of Kingsville. "We are amazed by the strong sense of community in this beautiful town."
Due to circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional parades and holiday events were not an option this year. However, many municipalities and organizations have put a twist on events in an effort to celebrate the season in some way.
Although most attendees were impressed with the event, others were not exactly pleased about the long wait times and traffic rerouting.
"We apologize to anyone who had a poor experience, and we thank them for their feedback and patience," read the release.
For those who were unable to attend the drive-thru parade in Kingsville on Saturday, the Fantasy of Lights Festival runs until January 8, 2021, with light displays in communities such as Cottam, Ruthven and Kingsville. Further details can be found by clicking, here.
The Chief Administrative Officer of Kingsville did post some pictures to social media of the first-ever drive-thru Santa Claus parade in the area.
We had very large crowds for Kingsville's first drive thru Santa's parade. This exceeded all expectations. Thank you to everyone for your patience waiting to get through the parade. Stay covid safe. #kingsville https://t.co/TbWtvEp4g8 pic.twitter.com/jfs4eJ3rgq
— John Norton (@KingsvilleCAO) November 22, 2020