The lights on the legislature dome are now red and green and the historic sequoia out front is festooned with 1,760 lights in honour of the holiday season.
As the lights were switched on Friday evening, it’s likely few people in the crowd of onlookers took as much pleasure in the event as Surjit Dhanota.
As the legislature’s facilities manager, he organized the month-long beautification effort in advance of Friday’s annual Light Up event.
“My team and I love to decorate,” Dhanota said. “We look forward to it every year.”
In the building’s rotunda, a 35-foot grand fir donated by Saanichton Christmas Tree Farm is in place and brightly trimmed.
This is the 55th year farm owner Joan Fleming ‘s family has donated a tree to deck the legislature halls — a tradition started by her late brother Mike, who had a Christmas tree farm in the Shawnigan Lake area that began operation in the 1960s. “He was one of the only ones on the Island that had big trees.”
Fleming, who has run her farm since 1981, said her staff loves the tradition “because they’re looking out for that perfect tree every year.”
“They also already have one picked out for next year.”
She said several trees on the farm are specifically grown tall for the legislature, since the average tree sold stands six to eight feet.
This year’s legislature tree represents about 40 years of growing, Fleming said. “It takes a lot of years to get a tree that big.”
A crew of up to eight is needed to deal with a tree that size and haul it to a trailer for delivery, she said, adding delivery has always been part of the tree donation, which has an overall price tag of several thousand dollars.
The Light Up event included performances by several groups, including the Reynolds Secondary band and Glenlyon Middle School choir.
Other major Christmas events coming up include the Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Victoria, and Sunday’s Esquimalt Celebration of Lights, featuring a 5 p.m. parade starting on Canteen Road.
The annual Sidney Sparkles Holiday Parade is set for next Sunday at 5 p.m. on Beacon Avenue. Sooke’s Holiday Parade also takes place on Dec. 8, starting at 5 p.m. from Journey Middle School.
