Dig out the decorations and get the eggnog ready – a month of winter festivities are on their way! This year’s Winter Light Up has been modified to create a safe and family-friendly festival throughout the month of December. The local celebration will include a number of festive activities including a modified version of the annual Town Christmas Tree lighting, an activity advent calendar, and a New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

The month-long celebration will kick off with the lighting of the Town Christmas Tree and downtown festivities on December 1. With consideration to public health guidelines and restrictions, the tree light-up has been modified. A virtual countdown featuring a special video presentation with Mayor William Choy will be hosted on the Town of Stony Plain Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. Following the virtual lighting, residents are invited to visit downtown Stony Plain for an evening of festive treats, treasures, and local shopping from 6PM to 9PM.

“With everything going on, we wanted to keep the holiday magic alive by continuing last year’s initiative to merge our annual Light Up and Family Fest in a way that was not only fun for the community, but also safe,” says Community Services Coordinator Tevra Graham. “Although we will not be able to gather downtown and countdown the lighting of the Town tree, we’re really excited to see residents participate in this year’s modified festivities!”

The Winter Light Up will also feature a unique online activity advent calendar. From December 2 to 25, daily family-friendly holiday activities will be featured on the Town Calendar, from recipes and festive activities to colouring contests! Residents are encouraged to follow along each day and share their holiday cheer online with public posts using #WinterLightUp.

To cap off the month of cheer, an in-person fireworks show will be hosted at Heritage Park on December 31 at 9PM. While the show is free, parking is limited.

Ready for the hustle and bustle of the holidays? To stay up to date on this year’s Winter Light Up, visit the Town website for festival information. Don’t forget to bring your Parkland Food Bank and Kinsmen Christmas Hamper donations! Donation bins will be stationed at each entrance to the Main Street celebration on December 1 and at Town Office throughout the month.

Community members participating in the festivities are reminded to practice physical distancing and wear a mask when visiting local businesses.