Local families lined the streets to enjoy the 56th annual Beaches Lion’s Club Easter parade on Easter Sunday.
Families and kids participated in the festivities, with lots of chocolate and smiles being handed out. Easter bunnies, clowns, local businesses, performers, musicians, and plenty of impressive vintage vehicles from across the city joined in the festivities for a bright and busy day in the sun.
Mayor Olivia Chow joined along the parade route, with Beaches-East York City Councillor and 2023 mayoral candidate Brad Bradford following close behind.
The Toronto Beaches Lion’s Club organizes the parade every year. The community foundation is part of Lions Club International, an International Service Group with over 48,000 clubs and 1.8 million members worldwide.
According to Andre Buhot, current Toronto Beaches Lion’s Club president, clubs are based on geographical area.
“There are over 50 decentralized clubs in the Toronto area. Our club, Toronto Beaches, has existed since 1935.”
According to the Lion’s Club, over 50,000 people come annually to enjoy the 2-hour-long parade. It requires extensive planning and a team of volunteers to ensure it goes off without a hitch, Buhot said.
“It’s just a huge amount of labor that goes into the parade; you must work with the police, fire, and city departments,” says Andre Buhot.
According to Buhot, set-up for the parade begins in Early December with weeks of preparation and time spent for everything from permit fees, insurance, portable washrooms, extensive coordination with the City of Toronto, and emergency services in place to ensure everything goes smoothly and safely.
There are road closures, and vehicles must be towed off the route. Barriers must be put up along the parade route.
Buhot said that that this year alone, 25 volunteers from the City of Toronto volunteered on behalf of the Beaches Lion Club to assist in the parade proceedings, collect donations, and ensure all parade participants were ready with their floats.
The Toronto Beaches Lion Club relies on donations to keep the fun going each year, as the parade costs between $6,000 and $7,000 to set up each year. During the parade, volunteers are expected to be ready to take donations to ensure the parade can continue for years to come.
