The 2025 London Santa Claus Parade: Your Ultimate Guide to Routes, Times, and Staying Warm

The London Santa Claus Parade is right around the corner.

It’s one of the best nights of the year, but if you’re taking the family, you know it helps to have a plan. The kids are excited, you’re juggling mittens and snacks, and you’re just hoping to find a good spot (and parking!) without too much hassle.

I’ve done this many times, so I’ve put together this simple guide to help you get less of the chaos and more of the magic.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• 2025 London Santa Claus Parade: The Quick Details (Date, Time, Theme)
• The Official 2025 Parade Route Map
• Don’t Forget: Letters to Santa!
• Share the Magic: The London Food Bank Drive
• Insider Tips: 4 Ways to Make Your Parade Night Perfect
• Where to Park: The Best (and Easiest) Spots
• What’s New for 2025?
• Can’t Make It? How to Watch From Home

2025 London Santa Claus Parade: The Quick Details

First, the most important info. Get this in your calendar right now.

• THE DATE: Saturday, November 15, 2025
• THE TIME: 6:00 PM sharp (You’ll want to be in your spot long before this!)
• THE THEME: This year’s theme is “Santa Rockin Wonderland”
• THE KEY: This is an evening parade. That’s what makes it so magical—all the floats are lit up. But it also means you must dress warmer than you think you need to.

The Official 2025 Parade Route Map

The route is simple and classic, running straight through the heart of downtown.

• START: The parade kicks off at Dundas Street & Ontario Street.
• PATH: It travels straight west along Dundas Street.
• END: The route officially finishes at Ridout Street & Dundas Street.

You can check out the official parade website for more info right here: https://www.londonsantaparade.ca/

Don’t Forget: Letters to Santa!

This is one of the best parts of the parade for kids. Have your children write their letters to Santa at home and bring them along.

Canada Post carriers walk the entire parade route to collect them. Seeing the mail carriers with their official bags collecting the letters makes the magic feel incredibly real.

Share the Magic: The London Food Bank Drive

The parade isn’t just about magic; it’s about community. It’s one of the city’s most important food drives of the year.

Volunteers will be walking the route collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations for the London Food Bank. Bringing a can or two is an easy way to share the holiday spirit and make a huge difference.

To give you an idea of the impact: in 2022, our community donated over 5,387 pounds of food along the parade route alone. Let’s see if we can beat that this year!

Insider Tips: 4 Ways to Make Your Parade Night Perfect

A little planning goes a long, long way. Here are 4 tips that have saved our parade night more than once.

1. Warmth is the #1 Rule. You will be standing still on the cold pavement for over an hour. Layers are everything. For kids, snow pants are non-negotiable, even if there’s no snow. Bring blankets, hand warmers, and a thermos of hot chocolate. A cold kid is a miserable kid, and it can end the night early.
2. Bring a Stool. This is a game-changer. A small, folding stool or step-stool for little kids saves their legs from getting tired and (more importantly) gives them a clear view over the people standing in front of them.
3. Know Your Spot. As we mentioned, the start of the route (east of Richmond) is often less crowded. If you want that classic “Victoria Park” vibe, you need to stake out your spot very, very early.
4. Pack Low-Mess Snacks. You’ll be in the dark, wearing mittens. This is not the time for complicated snacks. Granola bars, fruit snacks, or a bag of cookies are perfect for handling the inevitable “I’m hungry” alerts.

Where to Park: The Best (and Easiest) Spots

Ah, the parking. This is probably the most stressful part of the night. Here are two strategies.

Strategy 1: The Lots (Arrive Early)
The municipal lots at places like Citi Plaza or the Covent Garden Market are your closest bets. They are convenient, but they fill up fast. If this is your plan, you’d need to be parked by 4:30 PM, grabbing an early dinner downtown before you find your spot. (You can find a full list of municipal lots here: https://london.ca/living-london/parking/parking-lot-information).

What’s New for 2025?

The big news this year is the “Santa Rockin Wonderland” theme. This promises a high-energy, musical parade with lots of amazing, bright floats. It’s the perfect, exciting kick-off to the 2025 holiday season and a reminder of what makes this community so special.

Can’t Make It? How to Watch From Home

If you can’t make it downtown or just prefer the warmth of your own couch, you can often still catch the magic.

In past years (like 2024), the parade has been streamed live on YouTube for everyone to enjoy. While the official details for a 2025 live stream haven’t been announced just yet, we recommend monitoring the official parade website and their YouTube channel as the date gets closer.

See You on the Route!

The parade is one of those core London traditions that just makes you happy to live here. It’s all about community, celebrating together, and making memories.

We hope this guide helps you have the best, warmest, and most magical parade night ever.

What’s your family’s can’t-miss parade tradition? Let us know in the comments!