Second annual Christmas light up puts downtown Penticton in festive mood

PENTICTON – Penticton’s downtown lit up with the sights of Christmas yesterday evening, bringing out hundreds of people in spite of a chilly breeze funnelling down Main Street and some rain later in the evening.

The Downtown Penticton Association hosted the family-oriented event in the 200 and 300 blocks of Main Street last night, Nov. 22, providing a number of children’s activities as local merchants were open for extended hours in a festive atmosphere to help kick start the holiday season.

Association executive director Lynn Allin says an estimated 1,000 people took part in the second annual event. Allin says crowds were bigger than last year, with a number of new activities provided for kids of varying age, including a climbing wall, bouncy castle gingerbread making and letters to Santa.

Members of the Princess Margaret High School band played Christmas tunes while Santa and Mrs. Claus were delivered to Nanaimo square in the fire department’s ATV, adding a new twist to Santa’s arrival that was appreciated by the kids, she says.

The official tree lighting took place in Nanaimo Square at 7:15 p.m. in front of streets filled with citizens enjoying the event.

Allin says plans are now turning to the Santa Claus Parade, which takes place Saturday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m., on Main Street.

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