The City of London invites Londoners to ring in the holiday season with the annual Lighting of the Lights at Victoria Park on Friday, November 26, 2021. Live entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m. followed by the countdown to the spectacular illumination of the entire park at 6:50 p.m.
“Victoria Park’s Lighting of the Lights is a longstanding tradition in London’s celebration of the holiday season and one I’m personally excited to bring back to our community,” says Mayor Ed Holder. “This time last year, we were asking everyone to stay home and physically apart. While there are still COVID-19 precautions in place for Lighting of the Lights, I invite everyone to come out and join the festivities safely.”
Over 75,000 lights will illuminate the park nightly from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. this holiday season until January 1, 2022. There will also be a variety of other displays in the park, including Santa and his reindeer, the Christmas train and snowmen family. Santa's Mailbox will also be on-site for all the children who need to mail their wish list to the North Pole.
Anyone planning to visit Victoria Park is asked to follow all health precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. That includes maintaining six feet of physical distance from anyone who isn’t part of your household, wearing a mask or face covering and staying home if you feel unwell.
For the 2021 season, appointments will be required for Londoners looking to visit Santa at Santa’s House. Please visit www.tlcfoundation.ca for more information on Santa’s hours, dates and for booking information.
The City Hall Promenade Deck will remain closed this year, as part of the ongoing COVID-19 response.
Specially decorated trees include:
- Angel Tree: The Angel Tree honours the lives of children that have passed on with each white light in honour of a child’s cherished memory.
- Tree to commemorate the troops overseas: The tree with yellow lights will be aglow in support of Canadian troops serving around the world.
- Tree of Hope: The pink lights on the Tree of Hope represent a beacon of hope to those who have been diagnosed or who have survived breast cancer.
- Tree of Wishes: The blue lights on the Tree of Wishes support the Make-A-Wish Foundation to honour children with life-threatening medical conditions who have received a wish.
- Tree to Shine the Light on Woman Abuse: The tree with purple lights represents the burning individuality, strength and ever-lasting hope of abused women and the acknowledgement that society will no longer remain in the dark about woman abuse.
- Remember, Honour, Celebrate Tree: The tree with red lights is illuminated in remembrance of the thousands of lives lost to HIV/AIDS.
- Donor Tree: The blue and green lights on the Donor Tree represent The Trillium Gift of Life Network which coordinates organ donation and transplants across the province and the Kidney Foundation which is committed to kidney health and improving lives for all people.
- Carpenter’s Union Tree: This tree is illuminated with yellow and blue lights.
Holiday outdoor skating
Weather permitting, the outdoor skating rinks at Victoria Park and Storybook Gardens will open on December 4, and the Rotary Rink at Covent Garden Market on December 10. More details about outdoor skating will be shared in the coming weeks.
Core Area washrooms
Washrooms in Victoria Park are currently open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at the Kiwanis Memorial Bandshell. Starting December 6, these washrooms will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Sunday. Dundas Place gender-neutral washrooms are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 179 Dundas Street.
For more information related to the Core Area, please visit getinvolved.london.ca/CoreArea
Heading Downtown
Bike parking is available in Victoria Park on the south side of the bandshell, along Wellington Street just north of Dufferin Avenue, at the corner of Richmond Street and Central Avenue along Richmond Row and outside City Hall under the west overhang.
Secure bike lockers are also located at the north end of Clarence Street near Victoria Park, and the first two hours of using the bike lockers are free. The bike lockers can be used with the Movatic app.
Many LTC bus routes are also a short walk away from Victoria Park.
Until December 31, you can get two hours of free parking daily at municipal on-street parking meters and lots in London’s core, including Downtown and Old East Village. Use promotional code ‘CORE’ on the HonkMobile app on your phone or visit honkmobile.com to book your spot before leaving home.
