Cookies with Santa in Lower Burrell; Santa rides again in Kinloch

Santa Claus will be in Lower Burrell for Cookies With Santa on Saturday at the city’s Volunteer Fire Company No. 3. But first, he will be traveling through the streets in the city’s Kinloch section Wednesday.

For more than 50 years, the city’s Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 has driven Santa perched on a fire truck around Kinloch with Christmas music, said Chief Ted Hereda.

“Everybody enjoys it and we do it for our residents and our kids,” he said.

Santa’s tour through Kinloch was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved to Wednesday because of expected inclement weather.

Santa will start at 6 p.m.at the Kinloch fire station on New York Avenue and proceed through Kinloch to Greenburg Road, Dutchman Run, Seventh Street and to the McDonald’s along Logans Ferry Road.

Expect some candy canes.

Lower Burrell canceled its annual tradition of Cookies With Santa last year because of the pandemic.

The death of the event’s main man, Joseph “Bud” Myers Jr., in November 2020 also cast a pall over the canceled festivity.

But the city and Fire Company No. 3 are back strong this year, said city Councilman Chris Fabry, who has been helping with the event for six years.

“This year will be bittersweet, as one of Santa’s best helpers, Bud Myers, will not be there. It will be different without him,” Fabry said. “But we all know he will be there in spirit.”

Cookies With Santa is free to the public. Activities include games, a coloring station, scavenger hunt, cookies, drinks and pictures with Santa Claus.

Fabry thanked city councilwoman-elect Brandy Grieff and her husband for helping with preparations for the special holiday event.