niagara festival of lights

A magical lights festival opens at Niagara Falls this week

The holiday season is fast approaching and you'll soon be able to celebrate at the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls. 

Despite pretty much everything being cancelled this year thanks to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights will be opening on Nov. 14. 

The annual lights festival is an eight-kilometre route that transforms Niagara Parks, Dufferin Islands, and the surrounding area into an Instagram-worthy palette of colours and sparkling lights. 

While the festival typically draws a crowd of over a million people, numbers are bound to drop this year as there likely won't be international visitors.

niagara festival of lightsFor Ontario residents, though, you can take in the over 3 million lights from your car or you can bundle up and walk the wide-open park spaces — all while social distancing, of course. 

niagara festival of lightsDisplays at the festival include 15 Canadian wildlife illuminations, the Sylma, and over 50 trees wrapped in lights in Dufferin Islands.

niagara festival of lightsBesides this, there will also be a light show on the Toronto Power Generation Station and the Zimmerman Fountain, three-dimensional angels at the Niagara Parks Police building, and the ever-popular Noah's Ark.

niagara festival of lightsThe event will run until Jan. 10 and the lights will be illuminated from 5 p.m. to midnight.

niagara festival of lightsAlthough there is no admission fee, donations of $5 to $10 are being accepted at the Dufferin Islands exit to enhance the displays.

niagara festival of lightsThe festival was founded in 1982 and has become Canada's largest illumination festival

Lead photo by

Liberty Blue 19


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