2 Island Christmas celebrations cancelled due to COVID-19
Two public Christmas celebrations on Vancouver Island have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic for a second straight year.
The Peninsula Celebrations Society announced in a Facebook post Saturday that the Sidney Sparkles Christmas Parade would not return in 2021 out of "an abundance of caution surrounding COVID-19."
Similarly, organizers of Ladysmith's Festival of Lights announced Thursday that the town's Light Up celebration, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 25, will be cancelled.
The annual Light Up Parade typically draws 25,000 people to the town, many of them lining 1st Avenue to watch Santa flip the switch on over 200,000 lights.
Lights will still be set up in Ladysmith this year on the first Sunday in November, and they will be turned on Nov. 25, but without a large gathering. Organizers say those interested in volunteering to help set up lights can get in touch to be added to the schedule.
"This decision to cancel Light Up for this year has been made with a view towards our responsibilities to this community," organizers said in a news release.
"Potentially, the health of our members, various service groups, the many volunteers and our community could be placed at risk by staging a large public gathering. Festival of Lights determined that cancellation of these festivities was the only responsible option under these circumstances."
Back in Sidney, the cancellation of the Sidney Sparkles parade comes just days after the event was included in a list of holiday parades expected to return this year by the Greater Victoria Festivals Society.
Three other parades - the 39th Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade on Nov. 27, the IEOA Truck Light Convoy and Food Drive on Dec. 4, and the Esquimalt Light Parade on Dec. 6 - appeared to still be on for 2021 as of Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.