Holiday events return to Vancouver Island after last year's pandemic cancellations
The festive season is in full swing on Vancouver Island, after many holiday events were cancelled last year.
On Thursday night, the Town of Ladysmith illuminated its downtown strip with thousands of colorful lights. Christmas decorations are on full display at many island homes, and the festivities continued on Friday night in Oak Bay with the Sea of Lights Lighted Ship Parade.
Eleven decorated vessels sailed past Cattle Point, Willows Beach and Gyro Park before returning to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.
“Everybody’s really happy about it because we’re outside, we’re safe and we’re comfortable, and it gives us an opportunity to help the community and give others in the community an outing, when there haven’t been many lately,” said Sea of Lights event coordinator Andrew McBride.
On Saturday evening, the largest and longest winter parade on the island is set to roll out from Ogden Point at 5:45 p.m., with a convoy of 80 commercial vehicles making its way to the West Shore.
“We go through Oak Bay, downtown, past the hospital into Colwood and Langford and we end up at West Shore Speedway,” said Always Towing co-owner Cheryl Parker.
Always Towing has sponsored the Island Equipment Owners Association Truck Light Convoy for several years now. It’s a special event for the family behind the business.
"My father, we lost him 9 years ago, but my dad’s last ride was in the passenger seat in the convoy,” said Parker.
“So for me, the joy is doing this in honour of my father as well as helping out people at this time of year and the smiles on people’s faces"
The truck light convoy is also a fundraiser for several South Island food banks. Donations can be made on the IEOA website, which also includes a live parade route tracking feature.
"There’s so many places for people to park and watch instead of having to be in a whole group," Parker said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.