Holiday festivities are beginning in and around St. Catharines, the largest being Let it Glow – A Celebration of Light.
This month-long celebration, occurring in lieu of a Santa Claus parade, will run from Dec. 1, 2023, until Jan. 7, 2024, entailing a variety of activities in downtown St. Catharines and Port Dalhousie. LoveSTC describes it as a time to “dine, shop and explore amongst the glow of twinkling lights.”
Before the main event begins, two Watering Can Winter Workshops will be held at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre on Nov. 24, with one at 11 a.m and one at 1 p.m. Children between the age of four and 12 can be registered here, giving them the opportunity to create their very own Grinch Christmas tree.
The free, outdoor Let it Glow Launch Event at Rennie Park and Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie officially kicks off the festivities, running from 5 p.m to 8 p.m on Dec. 1. The thousands of arranged glowing lights will be a great photo opportunity for anyone attending. As an exclusive part of this event, the Lakeside Park Carousel – originally carved between 1898 and 1905 – will be open for rides. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be in attendance, as well as the Grinch and other characters.
On Dec. 10, from 12 p.m to 4 p.m., the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines is hosting a free Family Skate. Santa and Mrs. Claus will once again be in attendance with a host of other fun characters, and there will be festive music and hot chocolate for all.
The celebration will sweep through the St. Catharines Farmers Market for three Wednesdays in the month: Dec. 6, 13 and 20. Winter in the Market will run from 4 p.m to 8 p.m on these days, with sixty local vendors selling a wide selection of gifts for your loved ones or yourself, including wine, preserves, handmade toys, jewellery and more. This event will not affect the regular hours of the market, which currently runs on Thursday and Saturday mornings every week.
On Dec. 31, Leisure Swims at the Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, which normally costs $2, will be free. Hour-long time slots at 9 a.m., 10 a.m, 11 a.m and 12 p.m can be booked here.
Two events will be ongoing throughout the month of December and into January. First, Port Dal-icious runs from Dec. 1 to Jan. 7 in Port Dalhousie. Countless foods will be available to try, including European comfort food, specialty coffees and beers, Hungarian chimney cakes and more. There will be various QR codes around Rennie Park that link to enter a contest for a dining experience in Port Dalhousie.
The Mitten Tree Campaign is a holiday initiative spanning from Dec. 2 to Jan. 6. Run by the St. Catharines Museum and the Welland Canals Centre, those able are encouraged to donate winter clothing to the museum so Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold and Start Me Up Niagara can deliver them to local families in need. Call 905-984-8880 or email museum@stcatharines.ca for more information.
Let it Glow – A Celebration of Light is sure to be a festive time for students and families alike. Though St. Catharines is not hosting a Santa Claus parade, Niagara This Week compiled a list of parades and other events happening in the Niagara region. To Do Canada has an even more detailed list, including local concerts, theatre shows and more. For those who celebrate, the possibilities are endless.
