With the last-minute preparations complete, all that was left to do was flip the switch.
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Hundreds of volunteers, community members, and visitors gathered Saturday in the downtown park system to kick off the 66th edition of the Simcoe Panorama River of Lights. Dozens of holiday-themed displays and over a half-million lights will now greet both young and old every evening from until January 1.
Lucas Wilson, Port Dover illusionist and Panorama volunteer, said excitement leading up to the event was palpable.
“Our volunteers work so hard to get everything up and ready in the park – putting those last-minute touches on displays, changing out light bulbs, repainting a couple of things here or there, all for that excitement that comes on Saturday night when the kid flips the switch and the entire park lights up to cheers and screams and a whole bunch of smiles, which is what we do all of this for,” he said.
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This year it was Kate Cullen, 9, assisted by Brinley Blake, 3, who flipped the switch to light up the park on opening night. Afterwards, they got a special visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus who arrived at the park on an antique Bickle fire truck.
Wilson said volunteers update displays throughout the year to ensure they’re ready for prime time under the lights in an event that brings thousands of people – and dollars – to Norfolk County. A few of those classics include Santa Moose and children’s book characters the Three Little Pigs, and the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
This year, park-goers can expect a few surprises as well.
“Some displays have come back into the park this year that haven’t been there for quite a few years and, of course, all the old, favorite classics are there as well,” Wilson said. “We’ve worked hard on maintenance the last few years to make sure the displays look the very best they can.”
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The Panorama board meets each month, and in a typical year, spends more than $10,000 alone on lights.
“Come September, it’s just go, go, go,” Wilson said. “Right now, we’re already talking about what things will look like next year… it takes quite a community to put the entire park together and hours and hours of dedication to ensure everyone gets an awesome experience at Christmas time.”
It also takes money. The entire event is community-led and community-funded. Donations to Panorama can be made both online at simcoepanorama.ca and various locations on-site.
Having attended Panorama since childhood, Wilson loves the opportunity to give young members of the community the same experiences he had growing up.
“To be a small part of a group that helps create those memories for a whole new generation, it’s really, really rewarding,” he said. “I go to the park each year with my family and to be standing amongst all the other families and the kids pointing and having fun and possibly experiencing it for the first time is very rewarding. I think every volunteer with Panorama will tell you, that’s why we spend all this time putting the displays together.”
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