Downtown Lethbridge has turned into what some could call a scene out of a Hallmark movie as the tree in Festival Square was lit Thursday night.
Dressed in their warmest clothes people came out to see the square lit up with Christmas lights, get a chance to see the man of the hour Santa Clause and get a carriage ride around the downtown core. Along with the celebratory festivities, the evening also highlighted the wide variety of businesses in Lethbridge’s downtown community. Marketing and Communications Manager for the Downtown Lethbridge BRZ Emily Chong says the third annual event is important because it launches the festive season.
“A lot of shoppers don’t start shopping until the snow starts falling, so we are really just here to get the festivities going and make people feel festive,” Chong says. “[The tree] is a really big part of all the stuff we are doing downtown. We have decorated the light polls down 6th Street and they upgraded the lights in Gald Gardens this year, so we are just trying to create a beautiful and fun place for people to be.”
Cookie Crimes is located right across from Festival Square where the tree is set and owner Diana Walburger says events like Moonlight Madness and the tree lighting brings people downtown and explore.
“Families come and shop and find things they might not have known are here. So that, for me, is the biggest thing: you continue to support small businesses, even if you didn’t know they existed,” Walburger says.
Chong says throughout the holiday season the BRZ has partnered with Tourism Lethbridge, the Lethbridge and District Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Lethbridge for a citywide initiative to inspire that will encourage residents to shop, eat and explore local businesses and attractions. Chong says the “Snow Much Love” consists of participating business’s will display posters that have a QR code shoppers can scan and enter to win over $500 in prizes.
