If you want a small-town Christmas without driving far from Calgary, High River has you covered. The southern Alberta town is running its 41st annual Santa Claus Parade on Friday, December 4, 2026, and it's rolling the whole evening into one tidy package: live music, hot chocolate, the big park light-up, and then the parade itself through downtown.
The schedule is easy to plan around. Entertainment starts at 5 p.m., with hot chocolate and Lions' hot dogs from 5:30 p.m. — dinner sorted while you're there. At 6 p.m., George Lane Park officially lights up for the season, and the parade rolls out at 6:30 p.m., following a route along Macleod Trail SW. Everything is free to attend. This year's theme is "Home for the Holidays," which fits the vibe of a classic prairie main street at Christmas.
Make a weekend of it and there's more on. The Inclusion Foothills Winter Market runs Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Highwood Memorial Centre on 5th Ave SW — $5 for adults, free for kids and seniors. The Gift of Hope Market at High River United Church is free and open Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. Kids can also meet Santa at the Museum of the Highwood right after the parade, then on Saturdays and Sundays from December 6 through Christmas Eve, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., by donation.
Can't make parade night? The lights at George Lane Park glow every evening from 4:30 to 11 p.m. throughout the holiday season, and an outdoor pop-up skating rink opens as soon as the weather cooperates and the ice freezes. The town also posts a full parade route map on its official High River Christmas website, so you can pick your viewing spot before you arrive.
It's a solid pick for families from Calgary — High River is roughly a 45-minute drive south — and the parade-plus-market combo means one trip covers dinner, entertainment, gifts and photos with Santa. Locals already know the town punches above its weight at Christmas; first-timers get a proper old-fashioned light-up night as an introduction.
