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Summerland holds multiple events to launch festive season

Festival of Lights, Light Up the Vines and Sip ’n’ Shop will be held in late November and December
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FESTIVAL SEASON Marlowe Wiebe, left, and Adleigh Kunka, both six years old, were among the thousands of people who attended the Summerland Festival of Lights. The light-up, which draws people from around the region, marks the start of the festive season in Summerland. This year, the Festival of Lights, Light Up the Vines and Sip ’n’ Shop will be held as Light Up Summerland. (Summerland Review File Photo)

Summerland will welcome the festive season next month with a number of special events under the Light Up Summerland umbrella.

The events include the Festival of Lights, Light Up the Vines and Sip ’n’ Shop.

The 32nd annual Festival of Lights, on Friday, Nov. 29, will be held in downtown Summerland and organizers expect to attract 12,000 people.

The numbers are based on photographs of the event and information from police, the Summerland Fire Department and others involved in crowd control.

The festival is organized by the Summerland Chamber of Commerce and will begin at 4 p.m.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Summerland marks holiday season with 31st annual Festival of Lights

READ ALSO: EDITORIAL: A successful winter festival

This year, the event has added a world stage, to showcase entertainment from around the world.

This is in addition to the main stage and the family stage.

The schedule of events will also change.

As in past years, the downtown holiday lights will be turned on at 7 p.m., but immediately after the lights are on, a fireworks display will take place.

“We moved the fireworks earlier so families with children could enjoy as opposed to 9pm which is too late for young children,” said event producer Lisa Sanders.

David Hull, executive director of the Summerland Chamber of Commerce, said the time of the fireworks was changed in part to avoid traffic congestion a the end of the event and in part to make the event better for families with children.

“The goal is to make it family friendly and family focussed,” he said.

Light Up the Vines, in its ninth year, is organized by Bottleneck Drive, Summerland’s beverage industry consortium. It will take place Nov. 23 and 30 and Dec. 1.

Light Up the Vines has joined up with Light Up Summerland to coordinate marketing, scheduling and to enhance visitor experiences.

“Our goal is to continue expanding Light Up Summerland with more events over a longer period,” Sanders said.

The third event for this year is Sip ’n’ Shop. Summerland merchants will partner with Bottleneck Drive wineries on Saturday, Dec. 14 beginning in the afternoon and continuing into the evening.

“The Festival of Lights on Nov. 29, with an anticipated attendance of 12,000, will be the largest single day festival in the Okanagan,” Sanders said. “People from the entire valley have attended for years and we are encouraging everyone to come and experience the magic of The Festival of Lights and then enjoy Light Up the Vines and return for Sip n’ Shop.”

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John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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