With 90 displays, record traffic, and more donations than ever this year, Sparkle In The Park has found its way into the hearts of Lakeland residents.
Sparkle In The Park is operated by Cold Lake Hearts For Healthcare.
The annual drive-through Christmas light show has been delighting people from in and around Cold Lake since 2022. Now people drive from all around the region to take in the show.
“One of our volunteers had the idea. She said, ‘wouldn’t it be amazing to have a Christmas light display in the Cold Lake area for people to enjoy?’” said Hearts For Healthcare marketing and communications lead Ashley Brown.
“We had a lot of trouble getting our head around the logistics and how that would work,” Brown said. “And then it came up that maybe using a campground would work, and we reached out to the M.D. of Bonnyville and they were really supportive.”
Businesses, charities, churches, and nonprofits set up displays in the M.D.’s Cold Lake campground. Hearts For Healthcare volunteers set up a driving loop that takes vehicles past all of the displays so passengers can marvel at their ingenuity.
“I think we had nine displays the first year, and then we decorated some sites ourselves to make a little loop. It was freezing, like minus 40,” Brown recalls.
It has grown over the years to more than 90 displays.
“We had a couple of cancellations last minute, but essentially almost filled that whole A and B loop,
which is insanely incredible,” Brown said.
The circuit only runs for a week, mostly because of the huge volunteer commitment it takes to manage it night after night.
So it’s an intensely busy week at the start of December—just as Christmas season is starting in earnest, and before people become too busy with other activities.
After last year’s Sparkle In The Park, the record number of vehicles rolling through on a single night was 727. That number was surpassed twice last week: on Friday December 6 more than 900 vehicles rolled through, and then more than 740 on Saturday.
The whole idea was meant as a spirit-raiser more than a fundraiser, but Hearts For Healthcare and the Cold Lake Food Bank both benefit from attendees’ generosity. There is no charge to drive through the displays, but voluntary cash or food donations are accepted at the gate.
Final figures weren’t available at Respect’s press deadline but with the record number of vehicles, organizers expect there will also be a record donation total. Last year, more than $30,000 was collected.
“The intention to begin with was let’s just create awareness, give back, create holiday joy and spirit,” Brown said. “And then as it’s progressed it’s obviously gotten bigger and has a lot more involvement, so the donations have become even more appreciated. That helps it run and also helps give back to health care and the food bank.”
She says the event’s appeal beyond Cold Lake is exciting.
“That’s the goal, as a whole Lakeland,” she said. “Something like this that does run for a period of time and hopefully can bring people from St.Paul, Lac La Biche and all those areas so they can enjoy it as well and not have to go to the city for it.”
