A trip to the North Pole is expensive, but what if we could bring the North Pole to us?
Look no further because Candy Cane Lane has transformed Edmonton’s 148th Street into a winter wonderland!
From December 8 to January 1, 2024, Candy Cane Lane allows visitors to enjoy Christmas lights, decorations, trees, snowmen, and more.
Candy Cane Lane is a free volunteer-run event that has brought holiday cheer to Edmonton for over 50 years.
During the event, residents work tirelessly to set up Christmas displays, decorating their homes and yards to thrill passersby.
In 2002, Edmontonians Ted Gardiner and his wife Kate Jenvey set up a display that included a sleigh, all nine of Santa’s reindeer, huskies, and a musher.
The display would have taken a couple of weeks to complete. But six younger families in the area helped the couple finish the display in two hours.
And every year, the displays get increasingly involved, requiring days of volunteer time.
But all that effort is worth the joy the displays bring visitors!
More than Just Lights.
And you can enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride if Christmas lights and displays aren’t enough to satisfy your sense of adventure.
Sleighs fit between 14 and 26 people, depending on the sleigh booked. The rides are 45 to 60 minutes long and give riders an awe-inspiring view of Candy Cane Lane.
But Candy Cane Lane isn’t about fancy lights and displays; it’s about bringing the community together and giving back.
That’s why the event also collects food donations every year. Candy Cane Lane encourages visitors to bring non-perishable food to donate to the Edmonton Food Bank.
Remember to put your food donations in green bins located along Candy Cane Lane.
Over the last two decades, the event has collected over 360,000 kilograms of food. That’s more than three space shuttles worth.
About 25,000 kilograms of food are donated every year. That’s roughly the same weight as four school buses.
The holiday season is a critical time of year for food banks. Every donation means that much more.
Candy Cane Lane is one of many fun, festive events in Edmonton, such as the Christmas Market and Chiseled ice sculpting event.
But if you’re looking for an opportunity to give back to your community while getting into the holiday spirit, Candy Cane Lane fits that bill.
