ELORA – The streets of Elora are set to be bustling with activity and visitors again for a new winter experience taking place each weekend.
Elora the Village of Lights event will take place each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Jan. 17 to March 16 billed as a “unique vintage Canadian winter experience with après-ski.”
This event is spearheaded and funded by Kat Florence Canada, owned and operated by husband and wife duo Kristy Hillis and Don Kogen, who have been buying and restoring older buildings in Elora.
They also bought Francis Lane from Centre Wellington and turned it into a cobblestone Christmas market with wooden stalls, a food truck and fire pits this December which saw large crowds and influencers come to Elora through a marketing campaign.
Kat Florence Canada did not return requests for comment on this article and details of the event were forwarded to EloraFergusToday by an Elora business owner.
Highlights of the festival are said to include the “Spectacle of 100,000 Lights” which will see the left up lights from Christmas all turned on at once at 6 p.m. each night and left on display until 11 p.m.
The weekend will feature performances by Highland dancers on Friday, the Grand Celtic Pipe Band on Saturday and the Lone Piper on the Kat Florence Hotel balcony on Sunday.
The wooden huts on Francis Lane will also be open selling food and drinks.
While the Elora Christmas Market campaign drew large crowds, many residents took to social media to complain about the traffic problems, excess garbage, lack of parking and crowds.
A shuttle bus was added for the last weekend of this event and the email said the shuttle bus will be on stand-by in case of a surge in visitors paid for by the business community.
This event was originally set to begin earlier in January but was temporarily paused following a phone call with the township according to an email by Kogen seen by EloraFergusToday.
Mayor Shawn Watters said in a phone interview the township is supportive of this event and the business community’s efforts to attract visitors.
“For us, it’s always about having a bit of a runway to understand the programming coming forward and what we can do in terms of putting our best foot forward in terms of the township and community,” Watters said.
In an email, township spokesperson Kendra Martin said this event is not expected to attract the same number of visitors as the Christmas Market but the township is “committed to supporting the township operational aspects of the event.”
During the event, she said this includes ensuring public washrooms are cleaned and open later until 9 p.m., garbage receptacles will be collected twice a day and increased parking enforcement.
“The local businesses and the township will review the status of the event on an ongoing basis to adjust and make changes to support a successful Village of Lights event,” Martin said.
