The Festival of Northern Lights in Owen Sound has been dealing with “unprecedented” vandalism this year.
Power boxes have been destroyed, light controllers damaged and some displays and signs smashed, defaced and toppled.
A statement from the Festival’s board of directors was published on social media Monday evening acknowledging there has been “more vandalism than we have ever seen before.”
“More this year than we have cumulatively over the last few years,” Festival Chair Jamie Walpole says in an interview. “It even started before the Festival turned on the lights. We had some damage to bigger displays, and a controller was busted open. And it seems to be continuing on now. A little village was vandalized. Two others were broken beyond repair. We’ve never seen this before.”
The Festival of Northern Lights is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. They set up light displays in Owen Sound’s River District and at Harrison Park that are turned on nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The lighting of the lights to start this year’s festival was Nov. 16, and they will continue to turn on each evening until Jan. 5, 2025.
The statement from the Festival’s board provides details about some of the vandalism. Before the Festival opened on Nov. 16, someone broke into a control box and damaged a light controller for a Vortex display on 1st Avenue West. The Tim’s Tree display was damaged. A manger from a nativity display was pushed over. Eyeball lights were stolen from other displays.
(supplied photo)
“Fortunately, we have a light and technology expert who, with a lot of effort, was able to get the displays working for our opening,” the statement from the Festival of Northern Lights board says.
But there has been more vandalism since then. Several displays downtown were unplugged last week. Three buildings were removed from a “village display” and smashed beyond repair. The power boxes for the castle in Harrison Park were destroyed, and the Infinity Tunnel — which surrounds cars arriving at the park in a mesmerizing display of lights — was unplugged and left in the dark. Several sponsor signs were also “knocked over, kicked and dirtied.”
“This vandalism is just not fair. It is not fair to our community who come to see the lights shining bright as they have for the past 37 years. It’s not fair to those who travel from other cities and towns to see our displays and enjoy our community,” the statement from the Festival’s board says. “It is not fair to our sponsors, who help fund the Festival to have their signs or displays mistreated. It is not fair that our police have something else unnecessarily added to their already busy plates. It is not fair to our small but dedicated group of volunteers to have to consistently deal with these acts of vandalism, trying their best to make the Festival safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
Walpole says volunteers spent the past weekend making repairs to get several light displays up and running again. He says while the unrelenting vandalism this year is discouraging, they won’t be deterred by it.
“It’s discouraging for our volunteers, who don’t stop. After this festival is over, we repair displays all year long,” Walpole explains. “So to spend all that time making sure every single display is perfect when they’re set up. And then to have to look at vandalism, it’s tough.”
“But that being said, our team realizes how important this is. And how much it means to the community. And it means a lot to us,” Walpole continues. “So we’re not going to be deterred by it … we just wanted to let the community know what we’re facing. And if you see some lights out, we’re trying our best to keep them all going.”
Walpole says if you notice someone damaging a display, do not approach, but instead contact Owen Sound Police or report it to info@fonl.ca. You can also support the Festival with a donation via etransfer to info@fonl.ca, or by contributing to the donation kiosk at Harrison Park.
He also encourages everyone to come out and see the lights.
“That’s why we do it and that’s what makes it all worthwhile,” Walpole adds. “It’s a great community and although this is a negative … the lights are a positive. They’re a bright light in the winter.”