Santa Claus will be a very busy man over the next few weeks as he makes several stops around Chatham-Kent.
Christmas parade season in the municipality kicks off on Friday with the Chatham Santa Claus Parade.
The parade will leave Sandys Street at 6:30 p.m., go along Lacroix Street then up King Street before ending at the Wish Centre.
Children will be able to visit with Santa at the Wish Centre after the parade. Individuals attending the parade are encouraged to bring a toy, canned goods or monetary donations for the Chatham Goodfellows' No Child Without a Christmas campaign.
On Saturday, November 19, the Knights of Pythias Santa Claus Parade will kick off at 2 p.m. in Wallaceburg. The parade starts on Arnold Street.
Community Living Wallaceburg will be collecting non-perishable items during the parade. All donations will be donated to the ROCK Missions James Street Drop-In and The Salvation Army Chatham Kent Ministries.
Also on Saturday, November 19, Thamesville will kick off the holiday season with the Thamesville Christmas Festival. The event starts at 3 p.m. on London Road with food, vendors and free activities for the children. Santa will be available for a meet and greet from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. and a tree lighting ceremony will take place at the Old Town Hall at 5 p.m.
Tilbury will be getting into the spirit exactly one month before Christmas with the Tilbury Santa Claus Parade set for Friday, November 25.
The Tilbury parade starts at 7 p.m. at the fire hall and moves south on Queen Street to Memorial Park. Following the parade, children can visit with Santa at the park. The Tilbury Lions Christmas Light Festival will also celebrate its opening night in the park after the parade ends.
The annual Blenheim Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade will be returning to the streets of Blenheim on Friday, December 2, starting at 6:30 p.m.
"The parade has always brought the Blenheim and area community together to celebrate a night of lights and wonder, thus the theme for this year's parade," said Parade Chair Keven Montgomery.
Bothwell will not be hosting a parade this year, but instead a "Hometown Holiday in the Square."
The event kicks off on Friday, December 2 at 6:30 p.m. and will feature games, refreshments, carolling and a meet and greet with Santa along with the tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, December 3, Santa will make his way to Wheatley.
The Wheatley Santa Claus Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, heading North onto Erie Street South, turning right onto Talbot Road East, then Little Street and Middleton Line before finishing back at the church.
The Girls Southpoint Stars U13 rep team will be collecting canned or dry goods to be donated to the Wheatley Area Food Bank.
Elsewhere, Dresden's Santa Claus Parade is set for Saturday, December 10 at 5 p.m. Also on December 10, the Ridgetown Santa Parade will take place.
On Sunday, December 11, Santa will be at Kingston Park in Chatham for photos.
The following week, Thamesville will host its parade starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 16.
There are several other holiday events planned across the municipality over the next several weeks.
The Wallaceburg Holiday Market takes place on Friday, November 18. Meanwhile, the Dresden and Tilbury Night Markets will both take place on November 26.