As land meets the waters of Lake Simcoe, so too did the magic of Christmas meet the opulent reality synonymous with Friday Harbour’s lifestyle resort community this past weekend.
Crowds of people — including couples, young families, and friends with their dogs — strolled down the promenade as they enjoyed the singing of carollers and the company of others on Saturday before the complimentary Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Reminiscent of a Hollywood Christmas classic, the decorations that surrounded the residents and guests of Friday Harbour were impeccably curated and arranged, as vendors and artisans enjoyed connecting with the community and passersby with unique gifts to delight everyone on their Christmas list.
"I am delighted that Friday Harbour's Tree Lighting Ceremony and Christmas Market have quickly become a new tradition for our community and our visitors from the South Simcoe region and beyond,” said Hani Roustom, CEO at Friday Harbour Resort. “We can confirm that Santa and his elves will be on [the] resort as we light up our 40-foot tree, along with other very special guests in attendance. It will be our most memorable and magical evening yet, including a musical performance by international artist Karl Wolf and a spectacular firework display. In the spirit of the season, I am also honoured that we have teamed up with Innisfil’s Christmas 4 Kids once again, for our annual Holiday Toy Drive. We will be accepting donations of unwrapped gifts at our Promenade to help Innisfil’s Christmas 4 Kids make the holidays even brighter for those in need.”
Hosted by Canadian television personality, Michelle Jobin, everyone enjoyed the live musical performance by internationally celebrated Canadian musician, Karl Wolf. Cheers erupted from the crowd as Wolf’s lively and engaging performance included his own hits like his 4X Platinum international hit, “Africa” and certified Gold singles like “Yalla Habibi,” in addition to reimagined classics and Christmas carols.
As dusk fell, and Jobin welcomed Santa Claus and members of the Innisfil Minor Hockey Association on stage, the crowd looked to the stunning 40-foot tree — dark but adorned with Christmas decorations. As the countdown ended, the tree lit up the night sky and a stunning fireworks display caused children and adults alike to exclaim in surprise and awe.
After he sang along to Wolf’s songs in perfect synchrony, event attendee Eldon (no last name provided) from Ottawa explained that he and his fiancee are good friends with Karl Wolf.
“We’re looking to invest in this area as well. We build a lot of community organizations and we’re looking for ways that we can bring more diversity to places like this," he said.
Whether you’re from near or far, fortunately, the European-style, outdoor Christmas Market remains open until Dec. 23.
Amber Green is a freelancer with Village Media.
