Santa Claus was not the only icon people were excited to see at the Downtown St. John’s Santa Claus Parade.
The Big Stick from Maple Leaf Bologna was a crowdpleaser in the streets of the downtown. Crowds cheered as it approached on foot.
Many people took to Twitter to express their excitement over meeting the walking baloney.
And the star of the show is: @DowntownStJohns parade pic.twitter.com/uozKWgWjg2
— Dr. Danine Farquharson #commitcuriosity (@daninefar) November 24, 2019
I was so excited to meet the bologna at the Christmas Parade that I knocked into a kid and spilled my hot chocolate all over myself and then panicked and got the photo anyway.
I have never had a bologna feel bad for me before. pic.twitter.com/uVrEZ5hIzC
— Melissa Royle (@melissaroyle) November 24, 2019
In St. John’s, we have our own rock stars. pic.twitter.com/jiANStTjIS
— 𝔸𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕨 ℍ𝕒𝕨𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕟 (@hawthornandrewj) November 25, 2019
Alan Doyle called the Big Stick his “hero.”
Anything for our fans! <3 <3 https://t.co/UlOuC1SLoQ
— Big Stick Bologna (@BigStickBolo) November 24, 2019
.@alanthomasdoyle wins the Downtown Christmas Parade today!
Snags the Big Stick autograph! pic.twitter.com/6yji2umnCV
— Greg Smith (@RadioGregSmith) November 24, 2019
Well Now. I might own the world’s only personally autographed @BigStickBolo hat! @mapleleaf #lovesit pic.twitter.com/LRqqKHgaEH
— Alan Doyle (@alanthomasdoyle) November 24, 2019
The Big Stick Bologna has been a tradition for many years at the parade just like the “Newfie steak” itself.
From being part of the screech in ceremony to having its own cookbook, baloney has become an unlikely but beloved symbol of the province.
