The City of Belleville could not have asked for a more festive atmosphere for the Festival of Lights launch on Friday.

An overnight snowfall provided a beautiful backdrop for the annual event, which officially kicked off the Christmas season in the Friendly City at West Zwicks Park.

Food trucks and musical entertainment from a DJ and Turpins Trail under the Lions Club Pavilion were part of the event, and a free Santa Express Shuttle was active to take attendees from the Transit Terminal on Pinnacle St. to the park for the lighting ceremony.

Jane Forrester Park was also lit up with lights and festive/winter displays, an annual tradition dating back 64 years.

The lighting display, which is now put on by the city, was originally the idea of Don and Rita Foster to keep the holiday spirit alive after the loss of their son Billy and his friend Art “Sonny” Culloden in a Christmas Eve 1958 car accident.

Chair of the Lighting and Gateway Signage Committee Sean Kelly and committee member Chris Malette both raved in the opening program about the large crowd in West Zwicks Park, the largest for a lighting ceremony since before the pandemic.

Kelly and Malette thanked the many community sponsors and donors who contributed to the initiative once again this year.

These include; Advantage Data Collection, Agilec Belleville, Belleville Transit, Black Canvas Fireworks, Clearview Training & Consulting, Dexter, Rosa and Beau Longo, Culloden Family in Memory of Art "Sonny" Culloden, Elexicon Display, EMS-Tech Inc, E360S Environmental Solutions, K.G. Reid, Reid Bros Truck Service Inc. Fitzgibbon Construction Ltd, Greenwood Paving, Greig Truck & Trailer, Horwood Electrical Services, Jewell Engineering Inc., Linda and Roli Tipper in honour of grandchildren, Mackay Insurance Brokers Inc., McDougall Insurance, Mr. Print Belleville, M\T Automotive Services, Ramada by Wyndham Belleville, Shannon Williams, Welch LLP

The event was highlighted by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus themselves, along with the Grinch with Cindy Lou Who from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.

The night was capped off by fireworks at the park.

The jolliness will continue in Belleville on Sunday with the nighttime Santa Claus Parade at 4:30 p.m.