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
PM Trudeau presenting premiers with health-care funding offer today
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be presenting the federal government's offer for billions in new health-care funding to the provinces and territories at a highly anticipated meeting in Ottawa today.

Quake deaths pass 6,200 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a powerful earthquake. The death toll soared above 6,200 and was still expected to rise.
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
One-third of households say they're financially worse off compared to year ago: poll
A new poll finds one-third of Canadian households say their financial situation has worsened over the last year. According to a Leger poll commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, 34 per cent of Canadian households say they're financially worse off compared with a year ago.
U.S. actor facing sex charges in Nevada also facing charge in B.C.
A former actor in the movie 'Dances With Wolves' who is facing eight sex-related charges in Nevada is also facing a charge in British Columbia.
U.K. police officer, exposed as serial rapist, jailed for life
A former London police officer was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years for raping and sexually assaulting a dozen women over a 17-year period.
National shortage of veterinarians puts pressure on clinics, pet owners
Canada’s yearslong shortage of veterinarians was exacerbated during the pandemic, as more people welcomed pets into their homes to add joy and companionship during lockdowns. Now, concerns around quickly accessing medical care for animals is more urgent than ever, says one vet.
Why wasn't the suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down over Canada?
Critics say the U.S. and Canada had ample time to shoot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it drifted across North America. The alleged surveillance device initially approached North America near Alaska's Aleutian Islands on Jan 28. According to officials, it crossed into Canadian airspace on Jan. 30, travelling above the Northwest Territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan before re-entering the U.S. on Jan 31.
Astronomers locate potentially habitable exoplanet 31 light years away
Astronomers have discovered a rocky exoplanet about a few dozen light years away from Earth with conditions that could make it habitable.