K-W Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day parade returns today (update)

The annual Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day parade will make its in-person comeback Monday morning.

Starting at 8:30 a.m at the corner of Weber Street East and Frederick Street, the parade will finish at the Bridgeport Plaza at the corner of Weber and Bridgeport around 10:00 a.m.

In addition to favourite floats from years past, the parade will also welcome new floats and inflatables after the annual event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Onkel Hans' new puppy will also make its debut as a float in this year's parade. 

Earlier in the week, officials announced America's Got Talent stars, the Cline Twins, are this year's parade marshals. 

One of the newest additions to the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest line-up is the WunderWagen, a mobile festival experience with live bands playing classic favourites and current hits. 

“The WunderWagen is a great addition. It gives us an opportunity to take Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest to the community versus the community coming to Oktoberfest,” Becket told Explore Waterloo in 2021. 

Tickets for the Thanksgiving Parade are $8 to sit in the bleachers, and the Onkel Hans Food Drive will be collecting monetary donations and non-perishable food items in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region right before the parade begins. 

The parade is also still looking for volunteer sign carriers between the ages of 13 and 17. 

More information is available here.