Despite the growing crowds, the organizers of the Cochrane Santa Claus Parade and week-long community visits have ended their quest to create childhood memories.

Committee chair Mick Gee says it may not be the end of the events if others step forward, but for him, it's over after four years of community visits and three parades.

Gee says his family circumstances have changed and it's time to step back. He's proud of the impact the Christmas events have had on the community, believing they've been enjoyed by 60,000 people over the years and estimates it has had an economic spinoff of $400,000 to $500,000.

He admits he was a little nervous the first year when there were many naysayers to prove wrong.

"I stood on 5th Ave about 4:50 and thinking there's no one here. And then all of a sudden a fantastic amount of people showed up."

Well over a year prior to the launch, Gee had spoken of introducing the parade and the community visits, an idea he borrowed from his native England.

During community visits, Santa has a few specail guests come along, including the Miss Cochrane Lions Rodeo Queen at this year's celebration in the Riverview community.

"Among the memories I take with me are the looks on the kids' faces for that first parade. They were going, "Oh, wow, it's Santa Claus!" They were Godsmacked.  Also, the memories moms and dads and grandmoms and granddads will take away with them because it's meant for the whole family. We've been able to bring joy to kids in Cochrane over the years and I hope it continues."

The good news is there has been some interest in another group continuing the community visits

"I learned the other day that someone may take on that one. They've asked for details on what's involved and what they need to do as an organization. Hopefully, that will materially and they can keep it going."

"If someone wants to take on the parade, great, I've loved to see it continue. I'm there to give advice on what to do and not to do, but unfortunately, that's it for me."

He says it involves a year's worth of planning with lots of details to iron out in the background and practically monthly meetings. It becomes especially busy starting in September and peaks in December.

You also have to be prepared for last-minute changes in the number of entries.

Sponsors have come and gone over the years and he particularly salutes Cochrane Dodge and Mike Fenton, of Fenton Automotive, for being staunch supporters. Each year, Dodge has donated the truck and driver to pull Santa's float in the parade and for all the community visits.

The decision comes on the steps on what was likely the most successful parade to date. There were a record 16 entries. It even attracted the interest of Canadian Pacific Railways, who navigated their mini-train along the route.

"People caught on to how the parade was about creating childhood memories for a lifetime and that was our main aim of this whole thing, the parade and the community visits. You can say to your grandkids, or your grandkids can say to their kids, 'I remember the Santa Claus Parade in Cochrane all those years ago'."

But we all know who's the star.

"It's Santa's who all the kids come out to see. They see the floats but they want to see Santa waving and shouting "Ho, Ho, Ho!"

Besides the parade, Santa and his elves and, on occasion, special guests toured the town's various communities over a five-day period following the parade.