Spectacular tractor parade to tour Virgil Thursday

Members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake farming community will be harvesting holiday spirit Thursday night during the third annual Christmas tractor parade.  

Started in 2021 by Coun. Erwin Wiens and his wife Dorothy, the procession has grown significantly since its inaugural event, held while some COVID-19 restrictions remained in place and the town put its Christmas parade on hold for a second consecutive year.  

The idea started when Dorothy was watching TV news one night and saw a story about a small group in Selkirk, Ont. hosting a parade involving farming equipment.  

“We’ve got to do something,” was her mindset about local holiday activities at that time.  

The first year brought out almost 20 floats, and nearly twice the amount in 2022.  

“Then, the creativity came out,” she said, referring to the equipment being decked out with holiday cheer.  

This year’s edition will feature 54 entries, said Dorothy, showing off a large front-end loader decorated with a Mickey Mouse theme, as well as one highlighting the Ontario Grape Growers Association and Erwin recently being crowned this year’s Grape King.  

Last year’s parade drew an estimated 4,000 people coming from all the town’s five villages to lined the route through Virgil and take in the unique event.

It’s also a chance for the local agricultural industry to come together for a cause.  

“It’s a great time because everyone knows each other. It’s a great party,” she said. 

The Wiens family has recently been impacted by cancer, which is why the event will also raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. Erwin and local comedian Joe Pillitteri have a friendly challenge to see who can raise the most money – which will then be matched by an anonymous donor, said Dorothy.  

Donations will be collected along the route and can also be made online at run.terryfox.ca/team/teampillsy.

Along the route, the parade will go through the parking lot of Radiant Care’s Pleasant Manor, a long-term care home where residents embraced the parade, and is where many seniors who were at one time part of the local farming community currently call home, said Erwin.  

“Almost all of them would have a connection,” he said, adding the long-term care home has been “splendid to deal with” while organizing the event.  

The parade starts at 6 p.m. at the Virgil arena before making a right on Four Mile Creek Road, right onto Pleasant Lane, continuing to Elden Street, then left on Penner Street/Line 1 Road. From there, the parade will turn right on Concession 4 Road, right onto Line 2 Road, right onto Four Mile Creek Road, and return to the arena.