The Enjoy Centre in St. Albert has been transformed into the largest indoor Christmas festival in the Edmonton area.
“We had quite a great team working for the past month to get the show on the, to get the show set up,” said Shannon Van Norman, general manager.
Called ‘Christmas Glow’, the festival features more than a million led lights.
“We have over 60 thousand square feet here of not only the light show, but we have live entertainment every night,” said Van Norman.
The festival includes several interactive light displays for all ages.
“We have some adult led swings, and when I say adults, kids can go on it too but they’re huge and they change colours when you swing on them.”
There’s also a light up hopscotch area.
“When you land on them they change colours, the kids love playing in those,” said Van Norman.
Charlene Bouvier attended opening night.
“It’s amazing. Just what they’re able to do with the facility, the lights, it’s just fabulous,” she said.
Many, like Erin Ho-Si, are happy to have a place to enjoy Christmas lights inside out of the cold.
“This icicle set up is pretty amazing and our little guy loved the led swings that they have going here which were pretty cool, but the entire thing is really well done. We were really impressed,” she said.
There are princesses, Glen the Glow-comotive, food, entertainment, a market featuring local artisans and boutiques, and of course, Santa Claus.
“If you sit on Santa’s knee we ask for a donation and that goes to the Christmas Bureau, and then at our coat check there’s a lot of charities as well as some hockey teams that we’re raising money for,” said Van Norman.
Tickets are available online or at the door for specific time slots.
“We do that so that we can control the crowds, because we want everybody to have a great experience and not have to stand in lines at the food vendors and at the bars and Santa, so that’s why we have time slots.”
The festival runs until Jan. 19, 2019.
