It’s no secret that parties have taken a hit in our current health crisis.
Now, Campbell River’s Krista Hack wants to bring the party to you.
She’s behind the Campbell River & areas party parade on social media.
The person celebrating stands at the end of their driveway (or a safe location on a busy street) while friends/family/participants drive by with banners, balloons, and well wishes.
“You just drive really slow past the houses, with your windows down and you can wave, and honk, and cheer, and say ‘happy birthday,’ or if you have signs you can hold out the window, if you’re the passenger, not the driver,” Hack said.
Hack had a parade last night for a girl who was celebrating her fifth birthday.
“Her mom posted information such as the date, what time works best for them, and rain or shine, she was going to have her little girl out on the front lawn,” Hack said.
This group is brand new. Hack saw a similar incentive featured in a news clip in West Kelowna and contacted the group.
“Stuff kind of stirred around in my head, the idea of doing it here,” she said.
Hack isn’t limiting the parades to kids’ birthday celebrations: “Why not have it available to adults who are maybe having a birthday or are celebrating an anniversary at this time, or even seniors who are still in their homes and their adult kids want to bring some joy?”
You make your own posters or decorations to be reusable each time you want to participate.
You can also bring things such as noise-makers or drums.
Hack said it’s a way of bringing a little sunshine into people’s lives during these dark times.
“As long as they’re in their seatbelts and safely cheering from the car, keeping the (physical) distance, then I just thought, ‘What a great way to bring some cheer to some kids or adults who might be a little disappointed because they are not having their regular birthday celebration or what have you,” she said.
She said for kids, it would be “awesome” to have a fire truck or police cruiser take part in a future parade.
Hours are based on what works for the recipients.
If you’d like to have a parade or want to be part of a celebration, visit the group’s Facebook page.
Anyone who joins the group can make a parade request or be a participant.
