Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights to brighten Canada’s Capital Region
[Source: NCC press release]
Magical evening will officially kick off the holiday season
Canada’s Capital Region ─ The National Capital Commission (NCC), in collaboration with Manulife Financial, is pleased to invite members of the public and of the media to the launch of the 27th edition of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program. The official illumination ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 6 pm on Parliament Hill.
Russell Mills, Chair of the NCC, Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, and Donald Guloien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Financial, will be joined by special guests as they officially switch on the thousands of light bulbs that will illuminate Parliament Hill as well as many institutions, monuments, and other prominent landmarks located along Confederation Boulevard, in the heart of Canada’s Capital Region.
An important national component of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program: many provincial and territorial capitals are also holding their own lighting ceremonies.
“The NCC is proud to work in collaboration with all the provinces and territories to bring their holiday messages to Canadians,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “This link of lights is a symbol of peace, respect, and hope.”
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHTER THAN EVER IN CANADA’S CAPITAL REGION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCCN-09-12-17-NR
December 22, 2009
Canada’s Capital Region – The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to announce that the final tally is in, and the 25th edition of Christmas Lights Across Canada is shining brighter than ever in the Capital Region – with more than 375,000 bulbs illuminated.
This year, a total of 377,515 multicoloured lights – an increase of over 77,000 bulbs – adorn Parliament Hill and the many museums, historic sites, embassies and other landmarks along Confederation Boulevard – the discovery route that circles the heart of Canada’s Capital Region. Also on the rise are the number of LED lights incorporated in the display, up this year from 200,000 to 350,000.
The holiday season is the perfect time to admire this luminous spectacle. The lights will be on from 4:30 pm to 2 am nightly until January 7, 2010 (inclusive).
The Christmas Lights Across Canada program began this year on December 12, with the official illumination ceremony on Parliament Hill, attended by a crowd of over 20,000 spectators. This year’s ceremony was twinned with the arrival of the Olympic Flame on Parliament Hill, as part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. As an important national element of the Christmas Lights program, all of the provincial and territorial capitals also held their own lighting festivities, creating a link with the nation’s capital, and a spectacular display of colour and light across the country.
For additional information about the Christmas Lights Across Canada program, members of the public may contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca.
