A holiday tradition in Owen Sound is back for another year.
Bayshore Broadcasting News Reporter James Morgan was at last night’s kickoff of the 22nd annual Festival of Northern Lights and tells us about the excitement.
With the the flick of a giant switch, Mayor Ruth Lovell-Stanners and three children turned the banks of the Sydenham River into a wonderland of colour.
The Mayor says she personally loves the festival and how it heralds the beginning of the Christmas season, adding she always comes with her family and her grandchildren love it.
First time festival visitor Cheryl Palmer says it’s nice to get together as a city and just celebrate Owen Sound.
Rob Walpole was one of the founders of the festival 22 years ago when he ran a stained glass shop downtown.
He says there was a need to bring more shoppers downtown and he said let’s do something with the beautiful area along the river— the Festival of Northern Lights was the result.
The festival scores high with the people attending it.
One boy says the lights look like they’re floating.
A woman says she loves Christmas and the lights light up everyone’s hearts and lives.
A man says it’s a good time to see friends and family and bring the kids.
One woman says everything about the festival is wonderful, and it gets bigger and better every year.
A woman says the festival feels like home, while another says it makes good Christmas memories.
Her husband says they visit it to start a Christmas tradition with their two boys.
The festival features five new displays this year, and coincides with the Olympic Torch Relay passing through town on December 28th.
The Festival of Northern Lights along the Sydenham River and into Harrison Park continues until January 2nd.