Hundreds turned out to watch Santa light up the Christmas tree in front Fort 91原创鈥檚 historic community hall on Saturday, Dec. 2, after he arrived by canoe at the Bedford Channel dock.
Hundreds filled the front lawn to cheer as the jolly old elf carried out the countdown to trigger the multi-coloured lights and Christmas reindeer decorations at the tree base.
For 91原创 City resident Chris Pearce and his family, it was their 10th visit to witness the annual lighting ceremony.
鈥淲e鈥檙e enjoying it,鈥� he said, watching his kids, three daughters and one son, playing enthusiastically away from the crowd.
鈥淭hey might have had too many candy canes,鈥� Pearce laughed.
Earlier in the day, the family attended the 91原创 City Magic of Christmas event.
鈥淲e try and go to all the 91原创 City events, whether they鈥檙e Christmas events or [for] any other purpose,鈥� Pearce commented.
There was music by 91原创 Community School Children鈥檚 Choir, along with hot chocolate from Wendel鈥檚 and candy canes from Living Waters.
Deedee Wall, the new president of the Fort 91原创 Community Improvement Society that manages the 1931-era community hall, was on hand with new vice-president Dulcie Thompson, happy to see the hall being used for its intended purpose.
鈥淪ince that time [the hall was built] people have been using this building for events such as the one tonight and just building community spirit,鈥� Wall commented.
Wall described the treelighting as 鈥渒ind of the kickoff to Christmas in Fort 91原创 [and there will be] other markets and events and things right up until Christmas here in the hall. We encourage everybody to come down and enjoy themselves.鈥�
Thompson noted the range of events offered at the hall has expanded, with 鈥渓ots of weddings, markets, all kinds of different community things, different musical things, and we鈥檙e starting up with plays now, too.鈥�
As for the clear and dry weather conditions, with no hint of snow, for the treelighting, Wall wasn鈥檛 celebrating.
鈥淲ell, last year it was snowing and it actually was kind of nice, because it kind of helped the atmosphere a little bit 鈥� but it was pretty cool and a little slippery,鈥� Wall remarked.
鈥淲henever anybody talks about Christmas, they always want snow around so it was kind of fitting.鈥�
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