Kingston Jingle Bell Walk Contest, Kids Can Ride in Parade with Santa

Published on: 2012/11/12 - in Featured Releases

Planning for the City’s popular Jingle Bell Walk is well underway: children are being invited to enter a contest to ride with Santa (details below) in his sleigh during the walk and sponsors are being invited to support the lighting of a single memorial tree in City Park.

“We’d love to light up the whole park, but the squirrels are snacking on the lighting wires and it’s just too dangerous,” says Sue Hitchcock Community Events Coordinator. “The tree we light will be protected, and will act as our seasonal beacon and our finest thoughts for the season – for lost loved ones, peace and unity.”

Hitchcock says that volunteers from the Kingston Electrical Association will be at work in City Park this Saturday morning – this work will include measures to keep the squirrels from reaching the lights in the chosen memorial tree located in the southwest corner of City Park.

The tree will be lit at the conclusion of the Jingle Bell Walk from Springer Market Square to City Park.

The event starts at 6 p.m. in Springer Market Square on Friday, Dec. 14 and will include: free skating in the Square (weather-permitting), hot-chocolate (for a donation to P.R.O. Kids, the City charity that helps all Kingston kids participate in recreational opportunities), and visits with Santa in Springer Market Square after the tree lighting.

Jingle Bell Walk necklaces will be given out to those who donate to the Partners in Mission Food Bank.

The 10-minute Walk to City Park starts at 6:45 p.m. KFL&A Public Health joins the City in encouraging families and friends to participate in this annual smoke-free event as a way to celebrate the new smoke-free outdoor places at the Public Health tent where there will be information about the new changes to the smoking bylaw with a fun game to test your knowledge around tobacco use. Staff will be available to speak to those who might want to quit smoking.

RIDE WITH SANTA CONTEST

Children, six to 10 years-old, are invited to submit their names to enter a draw to win a ride in Santa’s sleigh from Springer Market Square to City Park and help Santa flip the switch that turns on the lights on the chosen tree in City Park.

Entries to win a chance to ride with Santa and inquiries about sponsoring the City Park Tree Lighting can be directed to Sue Hitchcock, Community Events Coordinator at <jinglebellwalk@cityofkingston.ca> by Friday, November 30.

SPONSOR THE TREE IN CITY PARK

To sponsor the lighting of the seasonal memorial tree in City Park, email: jinglebellwalk@cityofkingston.ca.

Your donation of $200 will go toward offsetting the costs associated with continuing this annual holiday tradition with all remaining funds being donated to support the Partners in Mission Food Bank and the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign. A $200 sponsorship is recognized with the placement of an individual, family or business’ name on a sponsorship board and in promotional materials.

For more Jingle Bell Walk and City Park Tree-Lighting details, go to www.cityofkingston.ca/jingle.
For more information about quitting smoking, call the Tobacco Information line @ 613-549-1232 ext 1333 or email til@kflapublichealth.ca.

Plan to get there by bus, check out the City’s Trip Planner.

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Release source: City of Kingston | Photo: Wikimedia Commons