Cochrane Light Up has taken things to a whole new level this year for its 30th anniversary – a level that will be 30ft above the ground.
This year’s festival will take place Saturday, Nov. 29 and will feature as the centre point a 30-ft blue, white and silver artificial Christmas tree that will be on top of Rexall Drug Store on First Street.
“It brings the community together. That’s the whole point. It is about the community spirit that comes out of something like this,” said Marni Fedeyko, chair and sponsorship coordinator with the Light Up committee.
Fedeyko said the event is free and runs from 5 – 7 p.m. with the tree being lit once Santa comes down on a fire truck shortly after 5 p.m.
GlobalFest will be putting together a fireworks display set to music, known as a pyro musical show that will begin at 6:50 p.m. Fedeyko said there would also be a DJ, stilt walkers, LED hula hoopers and choirs performing at the downtown Cochrane event.
“It will be a very busy night,” she said.
Fedeyko added that there would be a children’s tent that would have face painting, a balloon artist, ornament painting and the Cochrane Fun Van.
Another new addition to this year’s event is an environmental one, said Fedeyko.
Working with RMW Consulting and the Cochrane Eco Centre, the whole event will be compostable.
And an environmental cause isn’t the only thing Light Up will be helping this year.
Fedeyko said there would be two activities taking place in the OK Tire parking lot that would be benefiting Cochrane Family and Community Support Services and the Cochrane Activettes.
One will be a Mrs. Clause’s workshop area, which Fedeyko said is new this year. Children are able to purchase a pre-wrapped gift for somebody special or a family pet. The gifts will be on display and they will also be pre-wrapped. The gifts can be purchased for $5.
A silent auction will also be held, with 10 - 15 different gift baskets that people can bid on.
Fedeyko also added that this year there would be 22 businesses sponsoring a fire pot, an increase from 18 last year. These businesses would be serving the community free hotdogs, hot chocolate and coffee as well as offering a chance to warm cold fingers and toes by the fire.
“We’re trying to expand it now and bring awareness to some of the businesses,” said Fedeyko, who added that this is important because they get a lot of people from outside of Cochrane coming to Light Up.
She said that maps detailing Light Up would have coupons for businesses included with them for people to use in the months following and some businesses may have specials going on during the event.
Last year, 8,000 people came out to Light Up and this year, Fedeyko said they were hoping for 12,000.
For more information visit cochranelightup.com.
