The popular Mystical Lights event in Oro-Medonte is returning for the holiday season.
For the second year in a row, the Oro-Medonte Chamber of Commerce (OCOC) is organizing the drive-thru Christmas display at Oro World Fairgrounds. The chamber's executive director, Sylvia Stark, says more than 10,000 people drove through the gates last year despite COVID-19 restrictions.
“This year, we will have three times the lights we had last year,” she said. “We will have approximately 50,000 lights.”
The idea for the event came from Stark’s travels to Saskatchewan where she attended the Enchanted Forest event.
“I thought it was just amazing,” she said. “People loved it; it was just such an attraction, and I thought if I ever come back home, I’d love to do something like that.”
Stark says the event brought the community together last year amid a time of isolation.
“It gave people something to do as a family,” she said.
More planning has gone into this year’s event. Lights have been going up at the fairgrounds for several weeks.
Once again people will be able to drive through Frosty’s Tunnel, see the seven-foot candy canes in Candy Cane Lane, take a photo inside the eight-by-10-foot picture frame, and stop at Santa’s house where he will be on site until Christmas Eve.
The event costs $15, including tax, per carload.
“We just wanted to make it affordable so that families can come and enjoy it together,” Stark said. “Whether it’s seeing Santa, visiting the selfie station, or riding around and enjoying the lights.”
The event opens to the public on Dec. 2 and runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening until Dec. 16. Then, the event runs every evening from Dec. 16 to Dec. 23., and again from Dec. 26 until New Year’s Eve. Gates open at 6 p.m. and close for the evening at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here or at the gates.
Food donations for local food banks and The Salvation Army will be accepted on-site. All money raised from the event will go to the OCOC and the Oro World Fairgrounds so they can continue putting on community events.
Stark says last year people from Oshawa, Guelph, Midland, Orangeville, and other communities attended the event.
“My favourite part of this is seeing the reaction of kids when they see the tunnel,” she said. “I also love it when they see Santa Claus. The delight you see on the kids’ faces when they meet Santa is just amazing.”
