Bright Lights Festival to double the fun
There will be twice the opportunity for fun during this year’s Bright Lights Festival in downtown Lethbridge.
Now in its 17th year, the festival will expand to two days — Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17-18 - and include even more family-oriented activities.
“We’re excited about our first two-day Bright Lights Festival and we’re encouraging the public to come out and share in the fun,” said Ted Stilson, executive director of the Downtown Business Revitalization Zone.
They’ve wanted to expand the festival for a number of years but didn’t have enough funding support, he said.
“So it’s great to have the Heart of Our City and Visitlethbridge.com come on as major sponsors, as well as some of our businesses downtown have really stepped up.”
Friday’s schedule will include the traditional Bright Lights Festival activities enjoyed by young and old alike. Santa’s arrival is set for 6:30 p.m. at Galt Gardens, followed by a variety of classic Christmas movies in the pergola from 7-9 p.m., courtesy of King of Trade. There will be horsedrawn hayrides, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, coffee and popcorn available free-of-charge.
The London Road Neighbourhood Association will be on hand again this year to sell hotdogs and hamburgers, while gathering donations for the Lethbridge Shelter & Resource Centre Soup Kitchen.
On Saturday, activities will run from noon to 4 p.m. and include hayrides, full-length Christmas movies (“Home Alone” and “Elf”), a gingerbread house display, Santa’s reindeer paddock, and more. There will also be ice-carving demonstrations courtesy of Foster & Sons Jewellers.
“We’re bringing in a professional ice carver from Calgary that’s coming in for three demonstrations on Saturday, which will be great,” said Stilson.
Also new this year is the Solar Flare public art exhibit which will be set up in the park.
The Bright Lights Festival runs in conjunction with Midnight Madness, the official kickoff for the holiday shopping season in Lethbridge. Several downtown businesses will be offering Midnight Madness specials and keep their doors open later into the evening.
Downtown shoppers are encouraged to pick up a Holiday Shop & Win Bingo card at the Bright Lights Festival or at participating downtown businesses. They will have an opportunity to play bingo for a chance to win prizes.
“We’re encouraging people to shop local and shop downtown,” said Stilson, who added the Bright Lights Festival is also a way for the downtown business community to “give back” to their customers.
“We want them to know that the downtown is a great place to shop, live and spend time. And it’s a great opportunity for us to showcase Galt Gardens park, too. With all the festivals happening, there are over 23 — I think it’s a great way for the community to be a part of that.”
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