'It really highlights the city quite well': Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls through K-W

A Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest classic, the annual Thanksgiving Day parade made its way down Weber Street on Monday, Oct. 9.

The parade featured both new and familiar floats, live bands, dancers and inflatables.

"It's great to wake up and see the sidewalks start filling up with people, it's great to do," one onlooker told CTV News.

The parade started at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of Weber Street East and Frederick Street. It went up Weber Street and finished at the Bridgeport Plaza at the corner of Weber and Bridgeport streets.

Waterloo Region is renowned for its Oktoberfest festivities, and the Thanksgiving Day parade is considered a highlight of the celebration.

"It's just something that brings a lot of people together and it's refreshing for it to finally be fall," an onlooker said.

Many people donned traditional Bavarian attire, but the parade also serves an important purpose as many people in the region struggle to make ends meet.

"It really highlights the city quite a bit, but it also brings some income into the city and some help for the food bank and for all the volunteers, it's an amazing opportunity," one Kitchener resident said.

Some people say they have been coming out every year since the parade first started in 1969, while others are hoping to start new traditions with their family.

"I think that's really cool for our kids to see that and to see all the different floats and there's floats that have been around since I was little so to see them still in the parade, that's pretty cool too," said Sarah Widdis, who had grown up in Kitchener.

"Her family has been doing this tradition for a long time and now we're happy to continue that on with our girls," said Mickel Widdis, Sarah’s husband.

The parade showcased a diverse array of floats and inflatables and filled the chilly fall air with vibrant live music.

"It’s a little funny to realize that you have something this great right almost in your backyard, and people come from all over the world and other parts of Canada to experience this," Mickel said.

In a first for the longstanding tradition, the parade was produced, filmed and broadcast online by Sherwood Productions.

A recording of the parade can be watched HERE.