The Central Okanagan will officially get into the Christmas spirit this weekend with a number of light-up events and associated festivities throughout the area.
On Friday night, West Kelowna will hold its annual light up from 5 p.m to 8 p.m. on Brown Road in the downtown Westbank. The switch will be flipped to light the lights around 6 p.m. And, of course, Santa will be on hand.
The following day, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Mt. Boucherie Community Centre, Winterfest will take place with free skating, crafts, face painting and cookie decorating.
Admission and activities will be free but donations to the food bank are encouraged. All sizes of skates and helmets will be available and free to use.
Santa will be doing double duty Friday night, as Peachland will also hold its annual light up event that night at Heritage Park, with entertainment, refreshments and a kids parade. The light up will take place at 6:15 p.m.
On Saturday, kids of all ages can have breakfast with Santa at the Peachland Community Centre between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The cost for the breakfast will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids under six years of age. Babies (under one) will get in for free.
On Saturday, Kelowna will hold its 28th annual downtown Christmas light up event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with number of activities located at various locations around the downtown core. There will be music in Stuart Park and Santa will light the city’s 28-foot tree in the park at 5 p.m.
Earlier in the day,Santa will make an appearance at the Community Theatre where pictures can be taken with him, a workshop for kids to write letters to Santa will also be set up at the theatre.
Over at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, movie characters Olaf and Spiderman will make a visit from noon to 4 p.m. and there will be a musical instrument zoo from Wentworth music. Stuart Park will offer ice skating (weather permitting), a bouncy castle, Elf games and fun with Park & Play. At Waterfront Park will host the Santa Shuffle Race and story time and the Reindeer Round-Up scavenger hunt will take place at the downtown library. All the events will be free.
Santa will also be in Lake Country on Saturday for its light up at Memorial Park (at Berry Rd and Bottom Wood Lake Road) between 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
And don’t forget to bring the kids to the Santa’s Craft Workshop between 1p.m and 3 p.m.) at George Elliot Secondary Community Complex lobby for some creative fun.
On Sunday there will be a free skate with Santa at the Winfield Arena between 3 p.m. and 4:30pm.
