St. Catharines Downtown Association

Cole Salierno was extremely impressed with the floats, bands and costumed characters at the St. Catharines Santa Claus Parade Sunday.

But Cole, 7, made it clear you'll never see him on the inside, marching down St. Paul Street.

"Ahh, there's no way I'd do that," he exclaimed. "It's going to freak me out."

With that, his mother, Kim Salierno, had some news for him.

When Salierno was a teenager, she was brave enough to march in the Niagara-on-the-Lake Santa parade as Baby Bop from the TV classic Barney and Friends.

"People loved it; they would come right out and hug us," the St. Catharines woman told her son. "It was like you were a superhero."

Cole burst out laughing. "Still, no way," he said.

Thousands joined the Saliernos for the seventh annual parade, which stretched through part of downtown.

An elf-hat wearing Bob Meunier said being in the parade action is indescribable.

"Just very awesome," said Meunier, who was part of the Rankin Cancer Run float.

"Waving at everyone is actually a lot of fun; there's so much community spirit out there."

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