VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There’s only 24 sleeps left until the 9th annual Rogers Santa Claus Parade!

News1130′s very own Tammy Moyer and Kim Seale will be hosting the event, which takes over downtown streets on December 2nd.

The fun starts at 10:30 a.m. with family entertainment in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The parade starts at 1 p.m. at Georgia and Broughton and heads east on Georgia to Howe. It then turns south on Howe, finishing at Howe and Davie. The grand marshals will be Canadian athletes who competed in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

More than 3,500 participants, including 60 marching bands, choirs, festive floats, and community groups will entertain an expected 300,000 spectators.

You’re encouraged to get into the holiday spirit and show your support for the parade by donating a dollar to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFBS).

“If everybody would bring $1, that would be my Christmas wish. We can convert that $300,000 into… $900,000 worth of food,” says GVFB CEO Aart Schuurman Hess.

Volunteers will be at key locations on the day of the event; they’ll be found at the Burrard SkyTrain station, Christmas Square and along the parade route.

The GVFBS helps almost 27,000 people every week, more than a quarter of whom are children.

Items most in need:
– Canned fish/meat
– Natural peanut butter
– Whole-wheat pasta and rice
– Pasta sauce
– Meals in a can (such as hearty soups or chili)
– Canned fruit and vegetables
– Whole grain/low sugar cereal
– Baby food, formula and supplies (diapers, etc)