Photo: Jackey Zellweger

Two local companies have joined forces to build a new sleigh for Penticton’s 20th annual Santa Claus parade this December.  

Santa’s sleigh has slowly fallen apart over the years, leading Greyback Construction and Rona Penticton to build a new one, from scratch.

“Greyback likes to do community work and it seemed like a good project that suits our skills,” said Jeff Arnold with Greyback.

Rona supplied the lumber and paint for the eight-foot sleigh, with the Downtown Penticton Association painting it. 

“We started out on a whiteboard doing some sketches and they were quite creative,” Arnold said. “Then we sat down and actually started to detail it out to make sure it was buildable.”

“Then we basically transferred that to the real thing.”

Arnold and his colleague, Riley Kruz, spent more than 20 hours on the project over the course of four days.

“They did it all on their own time. When I had to paint it, they would come on a weekend and let me in,” said Jackey Zellweger, marketing and special events manager with the DPA.

The annual parade will take place Dec. 2, starting at 4 p.m. on Main St. and White Ave., finishing at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.

“It’s always a great turnout,” Zellweger said, expecting upwards of 5,000 people. “The community always comes out to support this event.”

Following the parade, Santa Claus will get off his sleigh and head into the Penticton Lakeside Resort, where children can tell him their Christmas wishes and enjoy hot chocolate.

Santa Claus will be sitting on his throne from 5 to 6 p.m.