Victoria Park Christmas lights set to shine bright this Friday

The City of London will kick off its annual “Lighting of the Lights” at Victoria Park on Friday evening, and the city is inviting everyone to partake in the holiday fun.
According to a press release from the City of London, live entertainment will begin at 6:15 p.m., with the official countdown to the lighting of the entire park beginning at 6:50 p.m. on Friday.
“Lighting of the Lights is a longstanding tradition dating back to 1958 that marks the official start of the holiday season in London,” said Mayor Josh Morgan in a statement. “My family and I are looking forward to seeing Victoria Park transform into a winter wonderland, illuminated with festive lights and displays for Londoners to enjoy through the holiday season. We hope to see you there!”
With 75,000 lights illuminating the park daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and lasting until the end of February, Victoria Park will truly transform into a magical winter wonderland.
Other displays include Santa and his reindeer, the Christmas train and snowmen family. Santa’s mailbox will also be in the park for children who want to mail their wish list to the North Pole.
In addition, the observation deck at London City Hall will once again reopen for public viewing at the following dates and times.
- Friday, December 2 to Sunday, December 4 from 7 to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, December 8 to Sunday, December 11 from 7 to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, December 15 to Sunday, December 18 from 7 to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, December 22 to Friday, December 23 from 7 to 11 p.m.
- Thursday, December 29 to Friday, December 30 from 7 to 11 p.m.
What else can Londoners do downtown this holiday season?
People can visit the Holly Jolly Market, located at Covent Garden Market, where Londoners can partake in local food vendors, live music and entertainment, light displays, a hot chocolate station, and fire pits.
The unique indoor/outdoor market will be opened on Friday until 10 p.m., and will be welcoming people for the next three weeks.
But that’s not all. Weather permitting, the outdoor skating rink at Victoria Park will be opened on Dec. 9, so get ready to lace up your skates.
“It will be a December to remember in downtown London, with large-scale events including the Holly Jolly Market, Lighting of the Lights and New Year’s Eve in the Park as well as small-scale activations including musical performances and art crawls taking place throughout December,” the release reads.
To learn more, you can visit the Downtown for the Holidays website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Tyre Nichols' brutal beating by police shown on video
Memphis authorities released video footage Friday showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held the Black motorist down and repeatedly struck him with their fists, boots and batons as he screamed for his mother and pleaded, ''I'm just trying to go home.'

W5 EXCLUSIVE | Interviewing a narco hitman: my journey into Mexico's cartel heartland
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
CRA head says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to review all ineligible pandemic payments
The head of the Canada Revenue Agency says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to fully review $15.5 billion in potentially ineligible pandemic wage benefit payments flagged by Canada's Auditor General.
Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan fulfils dream of seeing first game, passes away next day
Mike Davy always dreamed of going to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and once it finally happened, he passed away the night after.
'This is too much': B.C. mom records police handcuffing 12-year-old in hospital
A review has been launched after police officers were recorded restraining a handcuffed Indigenous child on the floor of a Vancouver hospital – an incident the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has denounced as "horrendous."
WHO decision on COVID-19 emergency won't affect Canada's response: Tam
The World Health Organization will announce Monday whether it thinks COVID-19 still represents a global health emergency but Canada's top doctor says regardless of what the international body decides, Canada's response to the coronavirus will not change.
Canadian university faculty getting older, more female compared to 50 years ago: StatCan
Canadian university professors are mostly older and increasingly more female compared to 50 years ago, a new report from Statistics Canada has found.
Canadian Hyundai vehicles unaffected by theft issue in the U.S., company says
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.
Grizzlies, other NBA teams speak out on Tyre Nichols' death
The outrage, frustration, sadness and anger was evident around the NBA on Friday, the day that video was released showing how Nichols, a 29-year-old father, was killed by five Memphis police officers. Several teams released statements of support for the family, as did the National Basketball Players Association.