Victoria's Lights of Wonder returns to Centennial Square
Victoria’s Centennial Square is a hub of activity as workers create what will be a dazzling light display for tens of thousands of Victorians to enjoy in time for Christmas.
The Lights of Wonder holiday celebration will once again illuminate the square starting Dec. 16.
Crews are assembling a variety of structures shaped like trees, arches, a crown and even a replica of the gate to Victoria’s Chinatown.
The custom-made display, featuring half a million lights, takes three weeks to install.
The free, accessible, all-ages event comes from the Downtown Victoria Business Association and Starlight Investments and offers more than just a spectacular light show.
“We’ll have nine nights of entertainment on the Centennial Square stage,” says Jeff Bray, the executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association.
The event was cancelled last year, but in 2019 an estimated 75,000 people took in the free light show.
“It’s a way to really just enjoy each other and the community and also a chance to support our small- and medium-sized businesses, who are actually providing this, by shopping downtown,” Bray says.
People are encouraged to bring the family, take photos and enjoy the spectacle that promises to be bigger and better than in 2019.
Following current provincial health orders, the event does not require masks or proof of vaccination because it is outside, says Bray.
The light display will also be open Christmas Day. On New Year’s Eve, there will be an early countdown for the kids and another one at midnight for those wanting to stay out later.
The Lights of Wonder runs Dec. 16 to 31. Volunteers are still needed if you would like to help. For more information go to the event website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.