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Christmas with kids in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
In Sault Ste. Marie, the Christmas tree beside the courthouse is lit by Santa and Bon Soo, and the Rotary parade drew 55 floats through the rain in 2025.
Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November
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Already confirmed in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
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Rotary Santa Claus Parade
When: Sat, Nov 21, 2026
Where: Bay Street, downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie
Cost:
The story of Christmas in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
A courthouse tree, Bon Soo and a Queen Street parade
The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie runs the Santa Claus Parade, which has followed Queen Street East between Pim and Gore Streets. One past announcement set up a sensory-friendly block between Bruce and Dennis Streets with no honking, air horns or sirens.
The season also opens with Moonlight Magic and the annual Community Tree Lighting in front of the courthouse, where Santa and Bon Soo switch on the lights. Downtown merchants stay open late, and the city collects donations for Christmas Cheer.
Rain, 55 floats and a 7pm switch-on on November 20
Moonlight Magic fell on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Korah's Mustang Sally played at 6:30pm, the tree lit at 7pm with Santa and Bon Soo, and merchants stayed open until 9pm. Queen Street closed between Pim and Dennis Streets at 4pm, and families brought donations to the Sault Transit Stuff-A-Bus.
The Santa Claus parade followed in late November in the rain. CTV reported hundreds of people and 55 floats. For 2026, a listing shows the parade on Saturday, November 21, on Bay Street.
A Santa Run, a reindeer musical and a Machine Shop concert
A listing says a Santa Run takes place just before the 2026 parade along the same route. The 2025 tree lighting also had Soo Sings Holiday Glee and Jay Case on the Village Stage.
Indoors, the Sault Community Theatre Centre on Trunk Road hosted a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer musical on December 4, 2025, and a Nutcracker on December 16, 2023. The Sault Symphony Orchestra's Yuletide Splendour was at The Machine Shop on Huron Street on December 7, 2025.
Traditions today
- Moonlight Magic and Community Tree Lighting: Santa and Bon Soo lit the tree in front of the courthouse at 7pm on November 20, 2025.
- Rotary Santa Claus Parade: The Rotary Club parade is listed for Saturday, November 21, 2026, on Bay Street.
- Santa Run: A run takes place just before the parade along the same route, according to a listing.
- Stuff-A-Bus donations: Families brought donations to the Sault Transit Stuff-A-Bus for Christmas Cheer in 2025.
- Holiday shows at the Sault Community Theatre Centre: The centre on Trunk Road hosted a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer musical on December 4, 2025.
A fact for kids
Sault Ste. Marie's 2025 Santa parade had 55 floats, and hundreds of people stayed to watch even though it rained.
Questions about Christmas in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
When is the Sault Ste. Marie Rotary Santa Claus Parade in 2026?
The Summer Fun Guide shows the parade on Saturday, November 21, 2026. The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie runs it. The start time was not on the pages read for this page, and past years began at 6pm, so confirm the time with Rotary before heading downtown.
Which street will the 2026 Sault Santa parade use?
Summer Fun Guide and the Downtown Sault Ste. Marie calendar both point to Bay Street, with Summer Fun Guide giving the stretch from Pim Street to Gore Street. Earlier parades followed Queen Street East between Pim and Gore Streets, so the 2026 route is a change worth checking before you pick a viewing spot.
What is the Santa Run before the Sault parade?
The Summer Fun Guide says a Santa Run takes place just before the Rotary Santa Claus Parade and along the same parade route on the same day. The pages read give no start time or entry details for the run, so check with the Rotary Club if your family wants to take part.
Who organizes the Santa Claus parade in Sault Ste. Marie?
The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie organizes the parade and is the contact for questions. A past announcement gave the club's phone number, 705-945-1279, for more information. The Downtown Sault Ste. Marie events calendar also carries the parade and points families to rotarysault.com/santa.
How many floats were in Sault Ste. Marie's 2025 Santa parade?
CTV News reported 55 floats in the 2025 parade, with hundreds of people watching despite rain. It followed the traditional Queen Street route in late November. Rain is a real possibility for a November parade here, so waterproof boots and a spare pair of mittens are worth packing.
Is there a quiet place at the Sault parade for kids who dislike loud noise?
A past parade announcement described a sensory-friendly block between Bruce Street and Dennis Street with no honking, air horns or sirens. That was announced for an earlier year on Queen Street. Because the 2026 route is given as Bay Street, ask the Rotary Club whether a quiet block is planned.
What time do Sault Ste. Marie parades usually start?
Past announcements gave a 6pm start for the Rotary Santa Claus Parade, with the route running east on Queen Street. The 2026 notice does not state a time. Plan for an evening outing in November, and confirm the exact start with the Rotary Club or the downtown calendar nearer the date.
When was Moonlight Magic in Sault Ste. Marie in 2025?
Moonlight Magic and the Community Tree Lighting were on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Music started at 6:30pm, the tree lit up at 7pm with Santa and Bon Soo, and downtown merchants stayed open until 9pm. Activities were in the Downtown Plaza and in front of the courthouse.
Where is the community tree lighting in Sault Ste. Marie?
The 2025 tree lighting was in front of the courthouse on Queen Street, with other activities in the Downtown Plaza. Queen Street between Pim Street and Dennis Street closed to traffic at 4pm. The city's page did not give a street address for the courthouse area.
Who turns on the lights at the Sault community tree lighting?
In 2025 the tree lit up at 7pm with Santa and Bon Soo, after a 6:30pm performance by Korah's Mustang Sally. Bon Soo's team was also at the event selling buttons and merchandise. Kids who want a word with Santa can find him there before the lights come on.
What is the Stuff-A-Bus at Moonlight Magic?
Families were asked to bring donations to the Sault Transit Stuff-A-Bus at the 2025 tree lighting. The donations support Christmas Cheer and families in need. It is an easy job for kids, since they can hand over a tin or a toy themselves at the event.
Where can I park for the Sault downtown tree lighting?
The city's 2025 page listed parking at GFL Memorial Gardens, the King and Albert Street lot, and the Spring and March Street lot. Because Queen Street closes to traffic at 4pm between Pim and Dennis Streets, parking a block or two away and walking is the plan the city described.
What entertainment was on the Village Stage in 2025?
The city's page for the 2025 event named Soo Sings Holiday Glee and Jay Case on the Village Stage, plus holiday lights and games in the Downtown Plaza. Korah's Mustang Sally performed at 6:30pm before the tree lighting. The pages read do not list an age range for the activities.
When is Moonlight Magic in 2026?
The pages read for this page do not give a 2026 date. In 2025 it fell on Thursday, November 20, with the tree lighting at 7pm. Watch the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Downtown Sault Ste. Marie calendars in the fall, since the date has moved from year to year.
Is there a Christmas musical for kids at the Sault Community Theatre Centre?
In 2025 the centre hosted a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer musical on December 4 at 1007 Trunk Road. The Algoma Country page said the event had ended and to check back for next year. A 2026 Rudolph date was not found, so watch the theatre's calendar.
Does the Sault Symphony Orchestra play a holiday concert?
In 2025 the Sault Symphony Orchestra presented Yuletide Splendour on December 7 at The Machine Shop, 83 Huron Street. The page gave no ticket price or start time. A 2026 date was not confirmed in the pages read, so check with the orchestra before planning around it.
Has The Nutcracker been staged in Sault Ste. Marie?
Yes. A family performance of The Nutcracker was held at the Sault Community Theatre Centre, 1007 Trunk Road, on December 16, 2023, from 7:30 to 9:30pm. The page now says the event has passed. No 2026 Nutcracker date was found for the city in the pages read.
Is anything else confirmed for Sault Ste. Marie at Christmas 2026?
Only the Rotary Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, November 21 has a 2026 date in the pages read, and that comes from an events site, not an official page. Rally Takes the Train's Sault Ste. Marie Christmas events guide will add dates as hosts post them, so it is worth checking back in late November.
Where can Sault kids meet Santa before Christmas?
In 2025 Santa lit the downtown tree at Moonlight Magic on Queen Street, and Santa rides in the Rotary parade each November. The 2026 parade is listed for November 21 on Bay Street. Rally Takes the Train's Sault Ste. Marie guide tracks other Santa visits once the hosts confirm dates.
What is Bon Soo in Sault Ste. Marie?
Bon Soo is part of the downtown Christmas kickoff: in 2025 Bon Soo joined Santa to light the downtown tree at 7pm during Moonlight Magic. Bon Soo's team was there selling buttons and merchandise. The pages read give no further history, so ask the team for the story behind the name.
Sources
- Moonlight Magic and Community Tree Lighting, City of Sault Ste. Marie
- Sault's annual Santa Claus parade draws hundreds despite rainy weather, CTV News Northern Ontario
- Sault Ste. Marie Rotary Santa Claus Parade, Summer Fun Guide
- Rotary Santa Claus Parade, Downtown Sault Ste. Marie
- Everything you need to know about this year's Santa Claus parade, SooToday
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Algoma Country
- SSO Presents: Yuletide Splendour, Algoma Country
- The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition in Sault Ste. Marie, Jorgen Dance