The wait is nearly over for those looking to enjoy the Christmas spirit in the air at the Red River Ex, as the Canad Inns Winter Wonderland display is set to light up on Dec. 3. <\/p>\n
“Every year for me it screams Christmas,” said Garth Rogerson, CEO of the Red River Exhibition Association. <\/p>\n “I’ve enjoyed putting together our statue area this year, our skating rink is very popular and this year we’re opening a brand new permanent warm up structure. It’s all going to come together. I love the show so much that I go through it every night.”<\/p>\n After 22 years and counting, the CEO shared what he loves the most about the 2.5-kilometre drive in light displays. <\/p>\n “There’s so many different areas that there is really something for everybody,” Rogerson told The Headliner<\/em>.<\/p>\n “We see particularly with the Tunnel of Hearts, we see people that stop and get engaged in that area. We’ve made that area extra wide for people to do those kinds of romantic things. I imagine those photos turned out pretty good.”<\/p>\n Running from Dec. 3 to Jan. 8, 2022, the 26 different themed Christmas light displays take a lot of work to set up each year. It’s a process that begins well ahead of the holiday season.<\/p>\n “Some of the fixtures are over 30 feet tall, it’s not just setting up, it’s all those darn bulbs,” Rogerson laughed.<\/p>\n “It takes months, we start this in September and they’re working right until we open in December. It’s a massive undertaking. Just think about setting up bulbs on your house, well times that by 5,000 and you have what we do here. There’s 10 guys working every day, all day trying to get it set up.”<\/p>\n Over 3,000,000 watts are lit over the course of the 2.5-kilometre drive. Another highlight on display in the winter wonderland is the 70-foot-tall Christmas tree. It’s a job the CEO is happy to pass along based on the extreme heights.<\/p>\n “Getting the tree up takes specialized equipment and takes someone with enough bravery to go up on a machine 70 feet up,” Rogerson joked.<\/p>\n “The effort is worth it when we see so many people come through and enjoy the show.”<\/p>\n Rogerson has overseen the event for 14 years as CEO. This year he recommends Mondays and Tuesdays as good days to attend the displays based on huge crowds from last year, but is optimistic with more things open to the public, the lines should not be as lengthy. <\/p>\n “Last year was four times the crowd we usually get, we had a five-kilometre line of cars which was incredible,” Rogerson said.<\/p>\n “I think people will be reassured they won’t have to wait two hours in line.”<\/p>\n Rogerson said on weekends it is typical to see over a thousand cars attend the displays in a single night. This year, the Red River Ex is offering a special promotion to guests who attend on Wednesday nights. Each attendee will be given a pair of 3D glasses, which gives each light display an added dimension, according to Rogerson.<\/p>\n “I wouldn’t recommend driving home with them on,” Rogerson laughed.<\/p>\n For the CEO, the winter wonderland display always seems to bring him the Christmas spirit, and he can see that resonated in everyone that attends the seasonal attraction.<\/p>\n “I love Christmas and I love the lights, the gaudier the lights, the better and you can never have enough,” Rogerson said.<\/p>\n “It’s hard to describe, but it makes you feel warm inside. I often go out and direct traffic, and people are rolling down their windows and wave and say ‘Merry Christmas’, everybody seems happy and they enjoy their time here. It’s a unique kind of experience that you don’t often see and I think the show does that.”<\/p>\n Over those 22 years, more than $340,000 has been given away to local charities in proceeds from the show. This year the Red River Exhibition Foundation has grown its scholarship program to 28, a number Rogerson is excited to see rising. <\/p>\n The CEO is encouraging people to bring as many as they can fit into one car and to buy their tickets in advance, which are $15 per car. <\/p>\n
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