Summerland will kick off the festive season with a celebration at the Festival of Lights later this month.

The festival will be held in downtown Summerland on Friday, Nov. 29 from 5 to 9 p.m. It is organized by the Summerland Chamber of Commerce.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to get together and celebrate,鈥� said Sally Pierce, executive director of the Summerland Chamber.

She said this year 10,000 to 12,000 people are expected to attend this year鈥檚 festivities. 鈥淲hen you see a really packed, crowded event, that鈥檚 a sign of success.鈥�  

This year鈥檚 event will feature plenty of entertainment, vendors, a mini Santa Claus parade, Santa鈥檚 Workshop at the Summerland Credit Union, selfies with Santa, live entertainment, and activities for all ages.

The opening band will be Blues Town, a local band, performing from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m.

The opening ceremonies and the official lighting of the downtown will occur at 7 p.m. The headline act is The Young 鈥橴ns, from 琉璃神社, performing from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m.

At the family stage, choirs and bands from Trout Creek Elementary School, Giant鈥檚 Head Elementary School and Unisus School will participate. Silly of the Valley, In House Performing Arts Vocal Class, Emily McDonald School of Dance and Summerland Singers and Players will also perform.

The evening will end with a fireworks display, sponsored by the Summerland Credit Union.

Also on Nov. 29, Light Up the Arts will be held at the Ryga Arts and Cultural Centre, 9525 Wharton St. 

The annual arts sale begins during the Festival of Lights and continues until Dec. 24. This is a juried art and gift sale, and features original handmade gift items.

During the evening of Nov. 29, a free shuttle bus service will be in place to move people to and from downtown, at two key parking locations.

The festivities will continue with Light Up the Vines on Nov. 30, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, at participating wineries, distilleries, cideries and breweries in Summerland. The event is organized by the members of Summerland鈥檚 Bottleneck Drive and features beverage tastings, food and entertainment.

The Summerland Museum and the Summerland branch of the Okanagan Regional Library are also getting involved with their own events 鈥� Light Up the Museum and Light Up the Library 鈥� which will be held separately, but in conjunction with the Festival of Lights.

The Summerland Festival of Lights has been a tradition in downtown Summerland since 1989. It was cancelled in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and returned in a scaled-down version in 2021. In 2022 and 2023, the event has once again drawn significant crowds.

Pierce said the event remains popular because of the efforts of the organizers.

鈥淲e try and work very hard to keep the entertainment good and fresh,鈥� she said.