LAC LA BICHE - If a tree is lit in Lac La Biche's downtown and no one is around — will it still make you smile?
A dedicated group of event-planners for the annual Light Up The Night celebration sure hope it will.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, this year's Light Up The Night festival in Lac La Biche has been scaled back, including the cancellation of the annual winter parade, and big changes to the tree lighting celebration.
Held over the last several years in late November or early December, each of the popular night-time parades have drawn dozens of floats and hundreds of spectators along the downtown parade route leading to a giant Christmas tree. The parade has been the kick-off to downtown shopping sales and is the night where the junior citizen of the year flicks the switch to light the 35-40 foot tree. Each year, whether the temperatures are mild or freezing, the event draws hundreds of people to the community's downtown. This year, however, those crowds are being frozen-out due to Alberta's COVID-19 precautions that currently restrict any outdoor gathering sizes in rural Alberta to no more than 200 people.
Because of those restrictions, and the uncertainty about a growing number of coronavirus cases in Alberta, the local organizing group for the event met on Wednesday and reluctantly pulled the plug on the Light Up parade after a lengthy discussion.
The same discussion resulted in a new plan for the lighting of the big tree. While a big spruce will still be brought in, planted in a special holder and wrapped with thousands of Christmas lights, a large-scale tree lighting ceremony won't be possible. Instead, organizers plan to turn on the lights without much fanfare after airing a pre-recorded video clip to social medial channels of the junior citizen of the year lighting the tree.
The show will go on
Although many parts of the annual event have been sidelined or altered, organizers are going ahead with several projects they hope will keep the holiday spirit going through the weeks leading up to Christmas. The junior citizen of the year selection will still be taking place. Forms will be available soon online to nominate area teens who deserve to be recognized for their outstanding community service. Plans are also underway to create community-wide contests for house and business decorations as well as creative art projects with a winter theme. Local prizes will be available for winners.
REGISTER your JUNIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR HERE. The deadline for entries is Friday, November 27.
More details on the contests are expected in the coming days.
Organizers say they are disappointed to have to restrict the events this year, but have chosen to err on the side of caution with so many unknown factors.
Donations and community support are still being welcomed. Information on donations are also expected to be finalized in the coming days.
