Due to popular demand, this Christmas, Cobourg will expand the lights to include Victoria Park and the lighting ceremony will be more extensive than previously. There will be 180,000 lights stretching from Victoria Hall, through Rotary Park, along the waterfront and into Victoria Park. The lights go on at 6:30 pm on November 22 after a countdown at Victoria Hall then everyone will be invited to walk to Victoria Park where there will be a 30 foot Christmas tree with 3000 lights and Mayor John Henderson will welcome all at the Bandshell. Santa will then arrive for the kids and DJ Dominic will play festive music. The walk will highlight a connection to downtown with a variety of displays throughout including spiral trees, holiday cut-outs for the children, holiday vignettes, reindeers and other festive animals. The location is both walkable and driveable
But if you stay on King Street, the DBIA will have a Downtown Cobourg Christmas Market with pop-up storefronts, live music, seasonal vendors, and activities for the family, cozy holiday themed lounge areas to sip warm cider and hot chocolate and a gift-wrapping station.
There will be horse drawn wagon rides through Downtown Cobourg and as the kick off to the ceremony, Victoria Hall itself will reveal a new ‘Winter Wonderland’ theme proudly designed by the Town of Cobourg’s Maintenance staff.
As usual, everyone is encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for the Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank in exchange for a lighted candle from the Cobourg Police Service.
Last year Habitat for Humanity’s Gingerbread Festival was in the old “Sarby’s” building (before that the “Bargain Store”) but this year it will be at the Habitat ReStore at 764 Division Street. However, they will also be on King Street West adjacent to the Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank and will distribute gingerbread cookie kits to children attending the tree lighting event. Baked by the Dutch Oven, these cookie kits have been sponsored by the Town of Cobourg. All proceeds raised go towards Habitat for Humanity’s homebuilding program.
Santa Claus
Santa will make his first appearance at the Victoria Park Bandshell and will make his way towards Downtown Cobourg in conjunction with the DBIA Christmas Market.
Schedule
The lights will be first turned on at 6:30 (after the countdown) then the lighted walk to Victoria Park starts at 6:45. The Mayor’s welcome will be at 7:15 pm at the Bandshell.
The Christmas Magic lights will be turned on every night from November 22, 2019 until February 2020 from 6 pm until 10 pm.
Adam Bureau
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to ring in another beautiful season with our Christmas Magic display,” said Councillor Adam Bureau, Coordinator of Arts, Culture and Tourism. “Our small town turns heads and hearts with the magic that is created by so many individuals giving their time and talent to the events displays. Thank you!”
Acknowledgements
The 30 foot Christmas tree was generously donated by Councillor Brian Darling and his wife Lillian.
The success of Christmas Magic is largely attributed to the thousands of hours contributed by volunteers, Town of Cobourg staff, Councillors and Mr. Davis’ wood working class at Cobourg Collegiate Institute for all wood features. The Cobourg Police also supply a large number of volunteers for the opening ceremony. We would like to thank our generous sponsors including 93.3 myFM, Cameco, G2G Series Inc. (Ginny & Georgia Netflix series), Iron Wood Tree and Landscape, Lakefront Utility Services Inc. and Wharram Tree Service Ltd.
Links
- Changes Recommended for Christmas Lights – Ad Hoc Committee report – 24 August 2019
- Party Atmosphere for Lights On – 24 November 2018
- Cobourg Alive for Lights on (2017) – 25 November 2017
Print Article:
“…they will also be on King Street West adjacent
to the Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank…”
I can’t find where that is for all my efforts. The local food bank lists no location on King St. at all, and I certainly wouldn’t know where it is from personal experience. Guess I’ll just have to trudge along the main drag until I find something that looks like it might be it.
In past years I remember a truck near the RBC collecting food for the Food Bank.
That must be the answer.
Would help if it had said “…adjacent to the Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank vehicle…”.
Thanks.
So happy that our beautiful Victoria park will not be dark this year! Thank you to council and all the volunteers for making our town look spectacular for Christmas!!
Whatever happened to “Carbon Footprint”…thrown out the window for more Xmas Lights.
The LED lights they use these days are all light and no heat, so use very little power for the results they produce. You can buy strings of them that are powered by a couple of AA batteries. That’s how efficient they are.
There are much more productive ways to conserve electricity that we should pursue.
Will the direction of travel on the Esplanade be settled by then? The one-way westbound experiment is not working, and not enforced. There are far too many cars taking no notice of the one-way signs and driving eastbound.
This is our first Christmas here in Cobourg. We are looking forward to enjoying the season in our beautiful town!
Welcome to Cobourg…we are not all party poopers!
Love it. Thanks to Council, Councilor Darling for the Tree, staff and the folks who actually do the work of getting the lights in position. Also love the whole ‘walkabout’ concept.