FALL RIVER: Come together with friends, family, and neighbours to celebrate the holiday season with our 27th Lions Christmas Express Parade of Lights, and the 12th Annual Fall River Tree Lighting brought to you by the Waverley Animal Hospital.
The Fall River and Area Business Association (FRABA) and the Fall River & Riverlake District Lions, with the support of the Waverley Animal Hospital and other sponsors (see fraba.ca/treelighting for more details) are coming back together to bring you the festive event of the year!
Let’s bring all the magic of the holidays to our community with music, treats, a dazzling parade, our annual tree lighting and of course, Santa & Mrs. Claus.
It all takes place Nov. 22 with details of each event to follow below.
The Facebook event page with details can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1347703066853702
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Event Schedule:
27th ANNUAL LIONS CHRISTMAS EXPRESS PARADE OF LIGHTS
Starts 4:30 PM
Parade Route: Starts at Lockview High School and turns left at Fall River Rd, straight through the lights into the Fall River Plaza Parking Lot. Turn Right at Tim Horton’s and ends at the far end of the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot.
You can set up to view the parade anywhere along this route but do not block traffic until the partitions have been placed by parade marshalls or police.
FLOAT REGISTRATION! Visit https://forms.gle/VrJ7ES7qpDT37Lrz8 to register your float or group.
There is no cost but we do ask you consider donating to the Christmas Express in lieu of a registration fee.
Visit https://christmasexpress.ca/ for donation details, and consider holding a food drive at your business leading up to the event!
Registration deadline is November 20.
As the floats arrive in the Fall River Plaza (approx 4:45-5pm), entertainment by Brennan and Anna MacDonald will begin at the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot, along with treats and hot chocolate.
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12TH ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING sponsored by Waverley Animal Hospital & FRABA
DQ Lawn
5:30 PM
Once Santa arrives, our treats are enjoyed, and you’ve had a chance to listen to the beautiful music by the MacDonald’s & our Joyful Sounds Holiday Vocal Group, we will gather around our community tree to countdown to the moment we’ve been waiting for all year!
Let’s light up our tree and our hearts this holiday season.
GRAND PRIZE DRAWS!
Where: DQ Lawn right after the Tree is lit!
ENTER BALLOT HERE: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdfd8uySDD9Gp…/viewform
Ballot Form closes Nov 21 at Noon.
Important Information:
Food Bank Donations will be accepted along the parade route and at the Tree Lighting stage.
Letters to Santa can be dropped in Santa’s mailbox at the Tree Lighting stage.
Grand Prizes: Enter online starting Nov 1 for a chance to win a Nintendo Switch 2! The ballot link will be available here and on our socials. Ballot closes Nov 21 at Noon.
Live Stream:
Can’t make it in person?
Dagley Media & The Laker News will live stream the event!
It can be found at: https://fallriverparadetreelighting2025.thelakernews.com/
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LIONS XMAS EXPRESS FOOD DRIVE
People can bring the usual canned food (beans, soup, vegetables), boxed cereal, as well as pasta and pasta sauce (canned preferred).
We thought we’d share some holiday-themed items that they can donate as well:
- Cranberries
- Gravy
- Pre packaged stuffing like Stove Top
- Pre packaged main dishes like Hamburger Helper
- Pre packaged side dishes like Knorrs Side Kicks
- Pancake syrup
- Pancake mix
- Cake/cupcake mix
- Icing
- Festive cookies
“We’d like people to keep in mind is that the food items need to be in canned or packaged form since we are packing them in boxes,” said Booth.
“Glass items might break in transit.”
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The Lions Christmas Express has opened the phone lines as of November 3 to receive calls from families in our area who need food and gift support (families with children 13 & under) this Christmas.
If anyone in our area calls 211 in need of this support, they will be directed to Lions Christmas Express to meet their needs.
The Christmas Express supports people in Waverley, Lakeview, Windsor Junction, Fall River, Fletchers Lake, Wellington, Grand Lake, Goffs, and parts of Enfield.
Families in other areas will be directed to appropriate support organizations.
The Lions Christmas Express is collecting food and money for the food box program.
Please go to this link if you wish to donate: https://christmasexpress.ca
