1st Ave. in downtown Ladysmith is lit up to keep an annual tradition going. (submitted/Tom Laird)

By Spencer Sterritt

Christmas cheer

Ladysmith lights up despite COVID-19 setback

Nov 27, 2020 | 1:59 PM

LADYSMITH — Downtown Ladysmith is aglow with Christmas lights to bring Christmas cheer in a year when it’s desperately needed.

Roughly 100,000 lights flickered to life this week to drape the 1st Ave. business strip with Christmas colours.

Alex Cook, Festival of Lights president, told NanaimoNewsNOW they still managed to put up around 100,000 lights despite social distancing restrictions.

“When we were putting them up, a lot of people approached us and thanked us for going through with it because they were concerned it was going to be completely cancelled,” he said.

Cancelling the entire event, rather than just the parade, was discussed back in August.

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“We took a chance and went ahead with it, doing what we could with the number of people we could have,” Cook said. “We have to do this regardless. We can’t let people down.”

Cook said less volunteers helped put up lights this year, but he was still heartened to see many couples and families taking part.

The lights stay up until Jan. 15.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @SpencerSterritt