Cavalcade of Lights kicks off holiday season
Posted November 25, 2011 11:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto marked the start of the holiday season Saturday night with the 45th annual Cavalcade of Lights.
“We live in the greatest city in the world! That’s Toronto!” Mayor Rob Ford said as he welcomed people to Nathan Phillips Square.
Breakfast Television’s Kevin Frankish hosted the event and as in past years, the celebration included a concert — featuring Juno Award-winners Jarvis Church and Kellylee Evans — fireworks, a skating party and, of course, the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree.
“This year, the tree is just under 40 feet high,” Julian Sleath, director of special events for the City of Toronto, told CityNews.
“It has about 100,000 lights on it and 18,000 decorations. It takes us about three weeks to put it in place.”
If you can’t make it down, there are other displays around the city, including light shows in Yorkville, the Church-Wellesley Village, Yonge-Dundas Square, Korea Town, Little Italy, and at the Waterfront.
Event schedule:
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Pre-show activities including a meet and greet with Olympic gold medalist Jamie Salé, skating party and musical performance by Victoria Duffield (6:45 p.m.)
7 p.m. Welcoming remarks by Kevin Frankish and Jeni (Flow 93.5), followed by a tree and square lighting and a holiday concert, featuring artists Jarvis Church, Kelly Evans, JRDN and Justin Hines
8 p.m. Fireworks
8:10 p.m. – 10 p.m. Skating party with DJ M-Rock
Here is a map of road closures during the Cavalcade of Lights (6:45 p.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday):
View Road closures during Cavalcade of Lights in a larger map
For more information, visit the City of Toronto website.
