Fort Frances had a special guest on Saturday evening! The big guy himself – Santa Claus – made a pre-Christmas appearance, on the invitation of the Kiwanis Club of Fort Frances. He was the guest of honour at the Santa Claus Parade, where residents were wowed by 40 brightly lit floats from local businesses, organizations and sports teams. The event was a huge success, getting rave reviews from spectators. We weren’t able to locate his reindeer during the visit, but we did hear rumours that bells could be heard ringing in the Public Works yard before the parade! According to sources at the North Pole, Santa will be making a stop in Emo this Friday during the Holly Daze parade, and in Rainy River on December 8 during their parade. – Allan Bradbury photo