Holidays in Winnipeg

in Winnipeg h o l i d a y s i n w i n n i p e g 2 0 1 4 - 03 Making the Magic Parade needs all hands — and feet — on deck the light stuff Keep the fun going after the parade, and head to the Manitoba Hydro Gallery for the Festival of Trees and Lights from Nov. 18 - 28. A fundraiser for the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation and Gardens Manitoba, the festival features a draw for one of 40 beautifully decorated Christmas trees and 25 wreaths, along with special activities, including a visit from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Nutcracker star Filbert Bear on Family Day Nov. 22. There's another fabulous holiday display at the Manitoba Electrical Mu- seum & Education Centre at 680 Harrow St. Free exhibit All That Glows: Then and Now, showcases holiday lighting from the 1880s to the pres- ent, with trees adorned according to specific eras. Museum administrator Kim Larcombe says this is the 10th anniversary of the event and it has become one of Winnipeg's must-see holiday tradi- tions over the course of the decade. "We have a large collection of holiday lights and decorations that have been donated over the years," she says. "It's quite spectacular." Outdoors, the 1931 electrical substation building is decked out with wreaths and poinsettias and LED lights. Visitors enter the building by walking through a 10-foot wreath, glittering with lights. "It's a wonderful opportunity for people to visit holiday memories from the past, and maybe discover some new ones for the future," says Larcombe. All That Glows runs from Nov. 17 - Jan. 8. Regular hours are Monday to Thursday from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., with extended hours on Wednes- days and Saturdays in December. Call 204-360-7905, or visit www. hydro.mb.ca/museum for more information. ❅ It takes a village to build a parade — actually, it takes a whole city, and a lot of generous people and organizations. "Without the support of our sponsors, we just couldn't produce an event of the high quality and calibre that we have here in Winnipeg," says Ron Mark, executive director of the Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade. "They contribute in many substantial and positive ways, from financial support to gifts in kind to letting us use personnel to work to put the parade together." Manitoba Hydro is proud to be the title sponsor, says Jackie Britton, marketing representative for Manitoba Hydro and volunteer coordinator for the parade. "Our first official Festival Parade was 1999 with the Festival of Lights Parade, and then years later we amal- gamated the two parades and that's how the Santa Claus Parade became a night-time parade," she says. Manitoba Hydro has two seats on the Santa Claus Pa- rade Board, filled by Britton and Gary Shingleton, and Britton says Hydro is "all hands on deck" when it comes to the parade, with five entries and a team of volunteers who come from the ranks and the retirees. "We have our Electrosaurus float; we have a beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy float with 45 or so costumed volun- teer walkers. We have the horse and carriage, which is our Cinderella entry with costumed walkers, and three antique vehicles." Since floats can be accompanied by costumed walkers, many Manitoba Hydro employees are able to partici- pate with their families. And if they're not walking, they are helping out in other ways. "We have in total about 100 Hydro volunteers that bring out their families to come and help out on parade day," Britton says. They do everything from working the Host-a-Block parties to handing out cookies, hot chocolate and song sheets at the Camerata Nova concert, which will take place in the Manitoba Hydro Gallery from 2:30 p.m. - to 3:30 p.m. on parade day. Volunteers will also be helping out at the VIP reception. Some teams start getting organized in August, and Britton says there are many unsung heroes who get the floats ready for parade day. "They are out there stringing the lights and making sure that there is gas in the vehicle, that all the music works on them, that they look good and they are all shiny and ready to roll for the parade." She's had a couple of fellows retire this year and they are sorely missed at work, especially by fellow staffer Harald Strom. "Like most retirees, Doug Atamanchuk and Brent Mc- Sorley just have things in their heads, things that are just understood, and you never realize just how much information they carry," she says. "I just want to say how proud I am that so many Mani- toba Hydro employees come out and volunteer." ❅ Costumed parade walkers are an added attraction. Photo courtesy of Manitoba Hydro By Wendy King

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