Santa Claus Parade and Winnipeg Jets game to make for busy Saturday downtown | CBC News

Downtown Winnipeg is expected to be busy Saturday afternoon, with an early serving of Christmas cheer, hockey and other events happening at the same time.

The annual Santa Claus Parade will make its way down Portage Avenue at 5 p.m., with block parties starting at 4 p.m. And in the mix of the holiday spectacle, the Winnipeg Jets will also be hosting the Arizona Coyotes, with puck-drop set for 6 p.m.

“We’re excited that there’s so much happening downtown — there’s also a conference and some weddings at different venues,” parade director Monica Derksen told CBC’s Up to Speed host Faith Fundal on Wednesday.

Derksen said parade attendance usually ranges from 40,000 to 55,000 people, depending on the year. And with mild weather in the forecast, Derksen thinks the numbers will be more on the higher end.

She advised people who are going to the Jets game to stay south of Portage Avenue because they can’t cross the street while the parade is happening, unless they go through overhead walkways. 

“We’re doing our best to make sure that everyone’s safe and gets to where they need to go,” she said. 

Canada Life Centre will be opening 30 minutes early to help fans get into the building on time. 

“It’s just doing our best collectively between us to get the message out that these two events are happening at the same time,” said Kevin Donnelly, senior vice-president of venues and entertainment with True North Sports and Entertainment.

“I hope they have a huge crowd, we’re hoping for a big crowd, but just figuring out  a way to get that information out so that people aren’t surprised … caught unaware, that sort of thing,” he added.

“It’s great to see this kind of activity in Winnipeg and hopefully people come down, and whether you’re going to the game or the parade, you come down and you have a good time.”

Derksen agreed that the increased traffic downtown is a good problem to have.

“There’s a lot happening downtown and that’s definitely a much happier conversation than we were having a couple years ago.”