Campbell River’s unofficial kick off to the holiday season, Starlight Shopping, has been a tradition for local families for nearly 15 years.
This year’s extravaganza takes place tonight.
It’s a night where downtown shop owners will offer deals and savings to entice people to shop local. It doesn’t hurt that Santa and Mrs. Claus stop by too.
The truck parade is a relatively new staple to Starlight Shopping. For the past five years it has opened the evening, with a cavalcade of semi-trucks, school buses, and fire trucks all lit up and dressed to the nines, making their way down the Island Highway to Spirit Square.
The parade leaves the Island Highway and Rockland Road at 5 p.m. and finishes up in Tyee Plaza at 6 p.m. A select few trucks will remain on display in the shopping centre’s parking lot.
Entertainment in and around Spirit Square will kick off at 5 p.m. with the first 300 kids receiving glow sticks.
There will be live music in Spirit Square throughout the evening and Captain Thunderpants will act as the town crier. New this year, the Tidemark will be offering a children’s show, featuring the Canadian musical group the Kerplunks, in conjunction with Starlight Shopping.
At Tyee Plaza there will be cookie decorating, taffy, face painting, pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves, as well as hot chocolate and carolling with the Salvation Army to get you in the holiday spirit.
Entertainment from the local high schools, as well as food vendors, will round out the docket.
Banking on last year’s success, there will also be Christmas card making at the Art Gallery which last year attracted 300 people.