This year’s Heritage Christmas Village in Vanderhoof will be a little bit different.
For one thing, this year the event will be cozy, thanks to the support of the Vanderhoof Elks Lodge #473, said organizer Barb Penner, who has been doing the event with the help of her sister Deb Briggs since 2011,
The community service organization has sponsored this year’s version of the annual community favourite, so it can be indoors in a heated hall.
This year, for eighth annual event, the displays of lights, trees and decorations will be set up in the Vanderhoof Friendship Centre hall. Penner said this will provide a more inclusive event, so seniors and children can more easily enjoy it.
In the past, the displays have been in various free locations, due to the challenge in finding a hall available and the high costs involved.
When the Reid Hotel was closed, the displays were set up there for three years, then for a number of years it was in the museum grounds, but some of the buildings are unheated, which made for difficult conditions, both for Penner and other volunteers and for patrons.
“Can you imagine unwrapping lights and whatever at minus 30? That was last year,” recalled Penner.
Everything is themed and it’s all lights, she said of the display.
“It’s very spectacular.”
Walking through the displays is free or by donation, and all donations go towards local clubs which partner with them. Normally two local service clubs help partner each year.
Penner and her sister do not take any money for themselves.
“This is a free event and our gift to the community,” said Penner.
Many of the huge number of decorations which go into creating the displays are from the transfer station, with strings of lights being repaired and tested and kept out of the landfill thanks to the project. Many trees are thrown away with lights still on them, and she and her sister take the lights off and reuse them. She said this gives it a re-use theme as well.
The preparation begins far before the event itself.
“It’s a year-round thing, but it is not all the time,” she said.
While Penner said it normally takes three weeks to put the display together, she said this year because it will all be inside it should only take three days. They have a map and a plan ready to go, and the trees have already been prepped.
“You’re better off dealing with the trees before you have three feet of snow,” she said.
Every tree is themed and has a dedicated spot. The space will also be set up with a seating area for patrons to stop and visit.
“Christmas — it’s spectacular,” said Penner.
The show came about because the two sisters and their family were involved in the Hobson Museum. They use lights and decorations from throughout the eras, many donated by people in the community.
“It’s retro,” described Penner, noting people will even recognize some of the donated decorations from family members throughout the years.
The display will be up and open from Dec. 20 to Dec. 31 and will begin with school tours on the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
There are not set hours, but Penner said she and her family spend their Christmas there in order to have it open for the community as much as possible.