Lighting ceremonies at two locations in Gibsons last weekend helped ring in the festive season.
On Friday evening, Gibsons Mayor Bill Beamish blasted an air horn to sound in the Sea of Light event at Gibsons Marina, including the lighting of a giant artificial Christmas tree on the boardwalk behind the Public Market, billed as the largest on the Sunshine Coast. The marina display boasts more than 20,000 lights.
Beamish thanked the crowd of approximately 300 that came to the event for donating to the Salvation Army food bank before declaring it “officially the season for giving in Gibsons.”
A crowd also gathered on a rainy Sunday evening at the Wendy’s and Tim Hortons restaurants in Upper Gibsons for a second lighting ceremony, involving speeches, music from local group Bits of String, and a countdown to the switch throw, again by Beamish.
Klaus Fuerniss, who owns both the marina and fast food franchises, thanked sponsors, whose names are posted next to each decorated tree surrounding the restaurants. “All this work has been done in great spirit for the enjoyment of others,” said Fuerniss, calling it “a true community event.”
The restaurant property has been filled with ever-increasing Christmas cheer over the years. One group built several metal trees, a high school woodworking class built a Christmas mural, another built the sleigh with reindeer seen to fly atop a drive-through window, and an outdoor fireplace and nativity scene can also be found among the decorations.
Money raised through sponsorships is collected on behalf of a chosen organization, and this year those dollars went to RCM-SAR 14 Gibsons Unit, which introduced a new tradition by selecting locally grown trees, and by forwarding some of the funds to another organization: Interact Club members helped the marine search and rescue group decorate the trees, so they, too, were cut a cheque.
Before switching on the lights, Beamish pointed out this was his second lighting of the weekend with Fuerniss. “I do expect, though, that next year you’re going to have a string of lights that joins the harbour to Tim Hortons,” he said.
