Kelley’s Heroes marches in 17th straight
Toronto Santa Claus parade

   Caledonia’s Kelley’s Heroes is widely recognized in and around Livingston and Monroe Counties as one of the area’s premiere marching bands. They are equally as familiar and very popular with our Canadian neighbors to the north as Kelley’s is a perennial favorite entertainer in Toronto’s famous Santa Claus parade. For the 17th straight year, the marching band traveled to Toronto on Saturday, November 15 to march in the three and a half mile parade along with 21 other bands, 24 floats, 180 celebrity clowns and more than 1,700 parade participants.

   Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the streets of downtown Toronto in brisk 38 degree temperatures to view the 104-year old Santa Claus parade. Forty-five Heroes, including four newcomers, made the trip. Six heroes have performed in all 17 Toronto parades with the band. They are Scott Marble, Maria Neale, Marcia Enck, Josh Relyea, Don Pullyblank and Kathy Fairbrother, who says it never gets old or routine. She says it was very cold for the few minutes of the parade but then the band members were invigorated and warmed up. The Kelley’s color guard dressed as elves and Santa himself invited them to join him for a photograph to mark the occasion.

   "It’s amazing, the anticipation of it all. The spectators know us now and the crowd calls out our names as we pass by. That’s what keeps us coming back," she commented.

   Eaton’s department store started the Santa Claus parade 104 years ago as a marketing tool to get shoppers downtown for the holiday season. It has evolved into a family tradition for those who come downtown to view it live and for many more who watch it on television.

   The late Tim Kelley formed Kelley’s Heroes in 1992 with 13 original members, many of whom, like Kelley, were Cal-Mum High School alumni band members. The band grew in number and popularity and expanded its marching schedule throughout Western New York. On July 2, 2003, the Heroes lost their founding hero, when Kelley died suddenly while performing electrical maintenance at his Caledonia home.

Caledonia’s premiere marching band, Kelley’s Heroes, performs in the 104th annual Santa Claus parade in downtown Toronto, Canada. This marks the 17th year that Kelley’s has participated in this family tradition.

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