Donald
Teuma-Castelletti
MANSFIELD-ET-PONTEFRACT Dec. 2, 2017
Those used to the natural wonder that is the Chutes Coulonge are in for a treat all month long, as the park has been lit up with thousands of Christmas lights.
Every Saturday night and for the week after Boxing Day, visitors can enjoy the local tourist attraction as if it were the North Pole, with lights and decorations adorning a kilometre-long trail, and the falls themselves changing colours, too.
“Originally, before we started doing this, I’d come up on Boxing Day with donuts and coffee,” said Dennis Blaedow, a member of the park’s board of directors. “Then we decided to try the Festival of Lights and it’s been a huge success.”

Showcasing nearly 10,000 lights, it took park staff a month to get everything ready, but it provides quite a view for visitors. Lighting up the path, guests can overlook the falls as they change from purple to green, red and blue, and continue to walk the path with it’s many decorations placed throughout.
Back at the front gate, a roaring fire welcomes visitors, and they can stop for some hot chocolate, a seasonal ‘Christmas’ poutine, as created by Trimmer’s Fries, or enjoy a Moose Tongue, a treat similar to another doughy, sugar-coated animal part synonymous with the Rideau Canal [beaver tails].
Attracting generally close to 2,000 people over the month, the Festival of Lights has only grown in popularity. The first year he organized it, Blaedow saw over 1,000 people in one weekend alone.
Nowadays, Blaedow is hoping that with the continued interest, he’ll be able to grow the festival with the help of more sponsors.
“My goal is to make it a winter carnival,” he said.
Blaedow hopes to build the evening show into full weekend events, attracting folks for lumberjack, car or other specialized shows during the day and then the lights at night. This, he hopes, will draw more tourists to the area and keep them in the Pontiac even longer.