Santa’s coming to town this week, and everyone is invited to join him in the Ladner Village for an evening of giveaways, gingerbread cookies and live music.
On Thursday (Nov. 25), from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Ladner Business Association (LBA) will host their annual Christmas Tree Festival in-person at the corner of 48th Ave. and Delta St. in the Village.
Following last year’s event shifting online due to the pandemic, the LBA Festival’s Chair, Jan Salvador, says she is excited to kick off the holiday season surrounded by a cheery atmosphere.
“Just seeing some happy kids and the smiles on their faces when they see Santa arrive [is what I’m looking forward to] ... there’s nothing like the absolute joy in children’s eyes when they see him,” says Salvador.
Santa is scheduled to arrive by firetruck around 7 p.m. to light the Christmas tree.
Though there won’t be gingerbread decorating this year to keep the event more COVID-friendly, there will be individually-wrapped gingerbread cookies available for kids.
The colouring contest will also still be running, but instead of children all colouring together at the event, the LBA has made the colouring sheet available on their website and in select stores throughout the Village to do beforehand and bring to the festival.
There will be prizes for winners, courtesy of Neighbourhood Plumbing & Heating.
Children are also encouraged to bring their letters to Santa and drop them into the mailbox created by Warner Brothers, who is one of many event sponsors, as a thank you for the filming they’ve done in the Village through the year.
Live music will be provided by Tony Barton and the Delta Youth Theatre.
“If you’re new to Ladner, and you’ve never been before, we invite you to come out. It’s a great community event. We have so many people who have moved into Ladner and Tsawwassen areas in the last couple of years, so, because this is the first tree festival that we’ve been able to have in-person for two years, there’ll be lots of people that this will be their first time,” says Salvador.
If you’re interested in volunteering for the event, or you’re looking to print off the colouring contest page for your kid, head to the LBA’s website.
This year’s Christmas Tree Festival is being presented by the Port of Vancouver.
