As the holiday season rounds the corner, the Airdrie Festival of Lights is getting set to return to Nose Creek Park for another December of Christmas fun.
On Dec. 1, the Airdrie Festival of Lights will commence at Nose Creek Park with the “FortisAlberta Light Up The Night” event.
According to the Airdrie Festival of Lights, about “a million dollars worth of displays and other special features” will be set up and turned on this year. Miniature trains will carry families through the displays on a designated pathway and open bonfires will allow park goers a place to warm up if they need it.
A community choir will also be on hand Dec. 1 to help kickoff the opening to the month-long festival.
“We want to create a truly family inclusive evening to give kids of all ages that magical ‘awe’ moment, while bringing our community together,” said the Airdrie Festival of Lights in a statement on their website.
While the Festival of Lights has become somewhat of a tradition in Airdrie, this year's FortisAlberta Light Up The Night is a new addition to the festival. According to the Festival of Lights website, a giant switch will be flipped that will turn on the community tree lights and then the rest of the lights will follow.
“It’s a magical moment you see in all the christmas movies so we thought, why can’t we have that magical moment too?” said the Airdrie Festival of Lights on their website. “The Airdrie Festival of Lights has become a tradition for so many so this year's Light Up The Night is a way for us to enhance that tradition, while honoring an old one.”
Admission to the Festival of Lights is free, but cash donations will be accepted, according to the events website. There will also be a gift shop for park attendees to browse through a selection of “locally sourced, hand-made gifts all under $10.
All of the money raised, both through cash donations and through the sale of gift shop items and hot chocolate, will go to the general maintenance and upkeep of the displays. Proceeds will also be redirected back into the community, via local non-profits and youth groups.
The FortisAlberta Light Up The Night event is scheduled to start at 5:30 on Dec. 1, with the festival being open everyday of the month until the 31st.
