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Downtown Victoria lights event returns with free horse-drawn trolley rides

And the lights will be on for the entire month of December
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The Lights of Wonder event returns Dec. 1. (Colin Smith Takes Pics photo)

The Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) has announced that Victoria’s largest free light display will illuminate Centennial Square throughout December this year.

For the first time since the event began in 2019, the lights will be on every evening throughout the entire month. Entertainment and activations will occur on Friday and Saturday nights until Dec. 21, and then nightly from the 21st until Dec. 31. The full entertainment and activation schedule for the event is at lightsofwonder.ca.

Every year, Lights of Wonder draws tens of thousands of people downtown during the holiday season. The event is free, accessible and pet- and family-friendly.

This year, there is a new immersive light tunnel to explore amongst the other light displays. In addition to various local entertainers taking to the stage, there will be free photobooths, lion dancers, Irish dancers, treats and warm drinks, an opportunity to donate to local charities, giveaways, a pet night, roaming carolers, silent discos, a big New Years celebration, and more.

In addition, for the first time in years, the DVBA is offering free horse-drawn trolley rides around downtown. These will be available from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16.

“This year, on behalf of our downtown businesses, we are excited to be offering an expanded Lights of Wonder event for 2023,” DVBA CEO Jeff Bray said, in a statement. “A full month of family- and pet-friendly fun with lights and entertainment galore, it is great that Lights of Wonder is now an established part of the region’s holiday experience. Visit Lights of Wonder and don’t forget to support local while downtown.”

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Chris Campbell

About the Author: Chris Campbell

I joined the Victoria News hub as an editor in 2023, bringing with me over 30 years of experience from community newspapers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
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