Multi-faceted Winter Festival of Lights continues to be a hit with visitors after Christmas holidays

It appears the indoor and outdoor components of the ever-growing Winter Festival of Lights have been a hit with visitors, as the popular annual event reaches the halfway point of its 40th anniversary edition.

It's been great so far - we're getting lots of positive feedback," said Janice Thomson, president of Niagara Falls Tourism, which presents the festival, also supported by funding from the Tourism Partnership of Niagara.

People have really embraced the idea that we have both indoor and outdoor elements to it. We're running indoor entertainment and over the Christmas holidays, it was every night at the Americana (Conference Resort Spa and Waterpark) and at the Crowne Plaza (Hotel) and that's specifically for families. We've got face painting and balloon twisting and children's entertainment and singing and storytelling. They're being very well received as well by family groups. The fact that we replaced all the lights this year - everything is brand new, to me it gives it a new sparkle."

She said the Hot Chocolate Trail, which allows people to warm up with a hot beverage while exploring the festival, has also been well received."

It's just something new, people are coming out to explore it."

The self-guided trail has 17 stops with 23 unique flavours to sip and savour - both non-alcoholic and alcoholic -created by chocolatiers, chefs and mixologists from restaurants and bake shops across the city.

Canada's largest and longest-running free outdoor lights festival returned for its 40th year Nov. 12, featuring three-million lights and 75 displays.

The festival's 101 Nights of Twinkling Lights is scheduled to run until Feb. 20.

Festival locations are spread throughout the city, including along Lundy's Lane, Fallsview, Dufferin Islands and along the Niagara Parkway.

Visitors can drive, or walk, along the route, which includes several themed illumination areas.

Thomson said now that Christmas is over, some of the very specific" holiday-themed pieces will be replaced by more seasonal displays, such as a love theme for upcoming Valentine's Day.

She said the festival continues to grow as a multi-faceted event.

We've been building on that in the last couple of years, especially by adding on the extra couple of months and also this year we've added the Hot Chocolate Trail, so that's another (attraction) for people to explore and then, also, the indoor entertainment piece."

Thomson said the festival sees a steady stream of visitors beyond just the Christmas holidays.

Not everyone can fit it in with their holiday plans to be here in December, so it's encouraging (to see the continued interest), it keeps business moving through the month of January."

Ray Spiteri is a St. Catharines-based reporter for the Niagara Falls Review. Reach him via email: raymond.spiteri@niagaradailies.com