The Toronto Santa Claus Parade will take a new route in 2026

Toronto's 122nd Santa Claus Parade will officially take a new route in 2026, marking a significant change to the annual holiday tradition.

The festive procession will kick off at its usual starting point, Christie Pits Park, shortly after noon. From there, the parade will travel east along Bloor Street, pass the Royal Ontario Museum, and continue towards Yonge Street. This year's route will skip the usual loop around the iconic roundabout.

Instead, the procession will turn right onto Yonge Street, then head west along Richmond Street. It will continue south along University Avenue, eventually turning east onto Wellington Street and south onto Bay Street, heading toward Union Station.

Photo via The Original Santa Claus Parade.

As usual, the parade will wrap up at the north entrance of St. Lawrence Market.

Parade-goers should also know that this year, it's not just Toronto's Santa Claus Parade route that will look different. The 2026 Holly Jolly Fun Run will also be affected by the event's logistical changes.

The five-kilometre run, which draws close to 2,500 runners annually, will start at 300 Bloor St. W. Participants will follow the new parade route, with the finish line located at Yonge and Wellington streets.

Photo via The Original Santa Claus Parade.

The route changes will also affect road closures, traffic, and commuting patterns. A complete list of road closures will be available closer to the event.

"The route changed because of construction in the city, [similar to how] it changed drastically in 2019," a spokesperson tells blogTO. They also confirm that Santa's Magic Zone has moved from Queen's Park to Sankofa Square this year.

Toronto's Santa Claus Parade will take place on Nov. 22, 2026, starting at 12:30 p.m.