Beach Bunny 2011: Easter Parade

The Beach got all up in my face, kicked some sand at me and held the 44th annual Lions Club Easter Parade which culminated in a fuzzy, white bunny waving to all the happy people (many wearing bunny costumes and bunny ears) along Queen Street on Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Beach Bunny 2011 featured a lot of chocolate, including a golden Lindt car with bunny ears, marching bands, cheerleaders and lots of community groups marching and handing out candy while the weather warmed up as the parade wound along the street full of people. Here is Canadian Olympic Gold Medal winner and parade Grand Marshall

Bobsleader Heather Moyse flashes the golden Olympic Medal and sports bunny ears as Grand Marshall.

Toronto's 64th Mayor, Rob Ford walks in the parade.

This parade rivals the size of the Santa Claus event and has the benefit of being a lot warmer than jolly old St Nick's winter parade. Find a side street for parking and begin your hike to the side of the Queen Street where you can see the magic and your kids can put their baskets - ready for the candy that will soon come.

See plenty of pictures of the parade after the jump (click on Read More >>, below).

There were plenty of beautiful and enchanted princesses.

Miss Teen Canada and Miss Canada

Quite a few marching bands took place, including the Canadian Forces Toronto Signals Marching Band and one of my favourites the green shirted Samba Elegua.

Malvern Band

Magnolia Brass band

Toronto Signals Band

Pipe and Drum Band

Star Wars 501st Legion characters in parade

Parade floats and people fill Queen Street in the Beach.

A walk in the Beach

Toronto has a love/hate relationship with the name of the area just on the east side of the downtown core (starts at Coxwell Avenue) of the city - even their website shows "The Beach/Beaches". Whatever you call it, the area starts at the sandy foot of Lake Ontario and continues north. The favourite part for many is the long and wide stretches of beach full of sun worshipers, swimmers and volleyball teams in the heat of summer. This place is so much fun that even the bell telephones are happy (although it could be one of those new fangled emoticons  and not really a sentient telephone who appears to be happy).

Oh yeah, the best part of heaven is the bikinis and thongs.

Night at Sunnyside Beach

I was out at night checking the sights around Sunnyside Park and the Bathing Pavilion. The edges of the beach still had hunks of ice gathered along the beach. Surprisingly there were no one in bathing suits taking a dip (you can check out some previous Polar Bear Dips on these posts - 2010, 2011). The large pool looks like it has finally been rebuilt and should be ready for this years swim season.

The dock at Sunnyside beach points out towards the concrete barrier of the inner harbour.

The beaches along the western side of the city provide some great views of downtown Toronto.

The boardwalk, normally full of joggers, pedestrians and bikes is quiet late at night - especially in winter.

Polar Bear Dip 2011

Participants jump for joy after taking part in the Chill.

Toronto has at least two Polar Bear Dips going on New Year's Day January 1, 2011 - 12 noon at Sunnyside Beach (Habitat for Humanity) and 1:30pm at Ashbridges Bay (Sears Great Canadian Chill) and the waters of Lake Ontario are ready for the plunge. Temperatures are expected above the freezing mark so we may only have to watch for rain - you don't want to get wet before the dip! Update: It was both foggy and rainy!

The plunge into Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Beach.

Bring your costumes, thongs and footwear then some warm clothes for afterwards.

The blue hair group wait for the Dip.

The Sears Great Canadian Chill had a large heated tent with a DJ and a costume contest - thermometer man was a little chilly; he had blue balls.

Costume contest including the Santas and Heidi.

See more of my pictures of the Dip and the Chill after the jump.

The Stanley Cup makes it into the water.

Heidi.

Cape Cod shrinkage.

The first group lines up at the Chill.

And in they go at Ashbridges Bay.

The mass plunge at Sunnyside Beach.

Victory.

Wet Elvis.

The Blues are ready.

Santa and his helpers.

Jump in.

Child cancer survivor Tobin Haas makes a inspiring speech at the Sears Chill.

See more lots more photos of the 2011 fun on my earlier post here.

You can also check out my 2010 photos from the Sunnyside Habitat for Humanity Polar Bear Dip.

Birdie Num Nums

Not wanting to join the immense crowds flooding into the malls and stores for all manner of Boxing Day sales  (and Boxing Week sales) we decide instead to check out nature and head down to the waters of Lake Ontario. Only birds are swimming in the lakes' cold water which will soon be full of Polar Bear dippers.

I think this is some kind of curious, wingless rodent bird. Polly wants a peanut.

Photo Vault - the Quay

Surprisingly, water is key to the waterfront and we are lucky that it is not a foul, stinking mess of liquid crap. Instead it is a pretty clean complement to our beautiful city. I always look forward to visiting the area and taking in the fun of the Queens Quay area. From the new wave decks and boat tours to the HTO beach their is plenty to see and do along the shores of Lake Ontario.