From November 15th, 2014, to January 12th, 2015, the annual Ontario Power Generation (POG) Winter Festival of Lights returns to Niagara Falls— and just in time for the holiday season! Recognized as Canada’s grandest, most exquisite illumination festival, Niagara Falls transforms into a magical place for a few short weeks every winter, during which time more than three million lights sparkle along a 5km route around the city.
This year, OPG spent an additional $300,000 on lighting and infrastructure—13 wildlife illuminations and a 20ft. fountain-like installation included—to improve the festival’s program and attract larger crowds. This investment also secures the event’s future, as maintenance and upgrades are necessary for something of this size. To date, the festival brings in roughly 1.5-million visitors annually, making it an internationally recognized phenomenon: it sits on the Top 100 Internationally Known Events in North America by the American Bus Association as well as sundry other lists and tourist programs.
Running throughout this event, visitors can attend the Zero Gravity Circus at Queen Victoria Park (Nov. 21-23 and 28-29; Dec. 5-6, 12-13, 19-24 and 26-29; and Jan. 2-4 and 9-11). As well, Fireworks-over-the-Falls takes place every Friday until the end of the festival, with added performances between the 22 and 26. Lastly, the New Year’s Eve celebration at Queen Victoria Park concludes this spectacular event every year, though the 2014 performers are currently unannounced. Nevertheless, this program is bound to make Niagara a winter destination for people all over the world!
