The River of Lights committee was formed in March 2023 by the Downtown Wallaceburg BIA, uniting enthusiastic community volunteers to revitalize the winter decorations in the downtown area. The committee selected its name to reflect the natural beauty of Wallaceburg, particularly its waterways, which served as the inspiration for the project. The goal is to complete the initiative within 3 to 5 years.
Since its launch, the committee has been actively involved in fundraising, applying for grants, and successfully obtaining enough funding to create various installations, including upgrading winter wreaths with new lighting. Thanks to the generous contributions from Schepens Ltd., the committee has added two large commercial light structures, installed 20 snowflake lights on the light poles along James Street, and displayed numerous banners featuring local artists’ work at no cost to the artists.
In November 2023, the River of Lights Committee partnered with the BIA to enhance the annual holiday market and introduced the first-ever Frost Fest event in downtown Wallaceburg. This event was a tremendous success, featuring a lighting ceremony, horse and carriage rides, Santa Claus, crafts and activities led by Mrs. Claus at the library, live music, extended hours for downtown shops, and street vendors. The event grew in 2024 where the committee also hosted a children’s colouring contest, and plans for 2025 are set to bring even more excitement, particularly with the addition of new light poles to elevate the downtown atmosphere.
The final phase will include the installation of 20 additional snowflake lights in preparation for the next Frost Fest in 2025.
