Christmas Magic Lighting up Ceremony to Begin with a Focus on Rotary Harbourfront Park and Downtown Cobourg Starting Friday, November 24^th

Cobourg, ON (November 9, 2023) – The Town of Cobourg’s Community Services Division is hard at work preparing for another season of Christmas Magic in Cobourg.

Christmas Magic, which began in the early 90s, is one of Cobourg’s most beloved annual community events. This holiday festival of lights is thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the Town of Cobourg Culture, Tourism and Events department, Parks department, Building Maintenance department and amazing community volunteers. Last year, the Town of Cobourg strung a total of 200,000 lights in Rotary Harbourfront Park and Victoria Park. The work begins in October each year and takes numerous weeks to complete.

This year, the Town of Cobourg is experiencing a delay in its Christmas Magic preparation due to a town truck that is currently out of service. Town trucks with boom lifts are required to assist Parks staff string lights around the tall trees in Victoria Park and Rotary Harbourfront Park. Until the truck is back in service, staff will be focusing their efforts on preparing Rotary Harbourfront Park to be ready for the lighting up ceremony on Friday, November 24.

The Town of Cobourg is working in partnership with the Downtown Cobourg BIA who will be hosting A Downtown Christmas Market on Second Street starting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 24. Residents are invited to come bask in the glow of the Christmas Magic display while enjoying a hot chocolate, street vendors and musicians Downtown Cobourg. Staff will continue to work on stringing lights for the Christmas Magic display in Victoria Park past November 24 with the goal to complete the south end of the park in December.

“The Christmas Magic lighting up event is one of my personal favourite events we host each year,” says Jackie Chapman-Davis, Manager of Culture. “Witnessing the excitement on the faces of the young children, and the notes of gratitude we receive from residents, telling us how the lights allow them to continue to enjoy strolls through the park during the winter months, reminds us why this hard work is so worth doing. While we will experience a delay in the full display of lights this year, we invite residents to use this as an opportunity to visit Downtown Cobourg each week through November to early December to witness a new lighting display come to life.” 

Christmas Magic Lighting Up Ceremony
The Town of Cobourg welcomes the community to join us for the Christmas Magic Lighting Up ceremony on Friday, November 24. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the lighting up of Victoria Hall and then travel into Rotary Harbourfront Park. Guests are invited to make their way back to Second Street following the ceremony to enjoy street vendors and musicians organized by the Cobourg DBIA.

Road Closures for Christmas Magic Lighting Up Ceremony:
Second Street will be closed on Friday, November 24 starting at 7:00 a.m.
King Street, from Third Street to Division Street will be closed on Friday, November 24 starting at 5:00 p.m. Residents are encouraged to come along Albert Street to park in the Second Street and Albert Street parking lots.

Santa Claus Parade
The first installment of the Christmas Magic lights in Cobourg will be ready in time for the Cobourg Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, December 2. The parade will begin at 6:00 p.m., starting at the Cobourg Public Library, at William St. and King St. and will travel along King Street through to D’Arcy Street.

For sponsorship opportunities or to submit an entry form for a parade float, visit ExperienceCobourg.ca.

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