Stroll through Cultus Lake Park this weekend to be enchanted by all things Christmas.
Enjoy warm cider, shop from local food and craft vendors, roast marshmallows and listen to some great live entertainment at this free family event.
According to Cultus Lake Events and Activities Committee member Patti Carpenter, this is the third year that the beach has been captivated by Santa and the beautiful lights, but it's the first year for the market.
"We're starting with a small scale market. We're just getting our feet wet," she said. But they're preparing for growth.
"We're looking at it as a long-term project," Carpenter explained. With more lights and participants every year, the goal is to create a "winter wonderland destination" for surrounding communities to unite.
There will be a variety of live entertainment nightly, including a student choir, a German squeeze box player and storyteller, and plenty of sing-along Christmas tunes.
The old-fashioned market features local food and handcrafted jewellery, art, body products and decor.
Unsworth Elementary School students will be selling popcorn to raise funds for new playground equipment.
Warm your hands and by roasting marshmallows at the beach bonfire or sipping a cup of complimentary hot chocolate or apple cider, donated by Panago.
This year they have more lights than ever to brighten up the Cultus Lake shoreline, and the house decorating contest creates an added incentive for residents to go above and beyond.
Attendees are encouraged to snap a photo and jot down the address of their favourite house and send to cultus.contest@gmail.com by Dec. 12. Voters are entered to win one of three $25 gift cards to Lakeside Beach Club.
The top three favourite houses will receive $100 each. Winners will be announced Dec. 21.
Kids have a chance to take home a prize, too. Print out the reindeer colouring contest sheet from cultuslakechristmas.ca. Bring the coloured sheet to the event and drop it off while sitting on Santa's knee, who will be there nightly between 6 and 8 p.m. Two lucky children will win a $50 gift card to The Play Room and Toy Shop.
You'll also be able to purchase raffle tickets for the Ultimate Cultus Lake Adventure contest. The prize includes sea-doo rental, paddle boarding, Cultus Lake Golf Club green fees, waterpark and adventure park tickets and more.
Bundle up and and head out to Cultus Lake Christmas Dec. 4, 5, and 6 between 5 and 8 p.m. at Main Beach. There is no admission fee.
Parking is free from Dec. 1 to Jan. 4 from 4 to 8 p.m. The Cultus Lake Volunteer Fire Department will be accepting donations and canned goods for the food bank.
Visit cultuslakechristmas.ca for the list of vendors, sponsors and more details.