One-Tank Trip for Dec. 7/19
(c) By Jim Fox
Pucker up! The Explore Waterloo
Region Mistletoe Trail returns for the holidays.
This fun initiative
in the Kitchener-Waterloo area features seven “Instagramable locations” where
mistletoe has been hung.
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| Kissing under the outdoor mistletoe is a Waterloo Region holiday tradition. |
Every photo
submitted qualifies to win the romantic Mistletoe Trail Date Night Package.
The locations are where
visitors are invited to stop by for a shareable moment – whether that is “a
hug, a kiss and definitely a picture or selfie,” said Minto Schneider, CEO of
the Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corp.
“Visitors and
locals are looking for things to do now that the cold weather is here,” she
said.
This is called a fun
way to encourage people to get outdoors to explore the region with family and
friends.
It’s simple to do:
Just take a picture under the mistletoe, post it on social media and share the
fun while celebrating the season, Schneider explained.
 |
| Pucker up! |
New this year is the
opportunity to bring your own mistletoe and share a picture under it at your
favourite outdoor Waterloo Region location.
The official
puckering-up spots are above the front doors of the Cambridge Fire Hall Museum;
next to the Christmas tree in front of Kitchener City Hall; the Seagram Drive
entrance to Wonders of Winter in Waterloo Park; and in Woolwich Township, above
the new mural on the Old Post Office building in St. Jacobs.
There’s also Wilmot
Township’s courtyard behind the Imperial Market & Eatery in New Hamburg;
the entrance to Erbhaven Trails in Wellesley behind the township fire hall; and
in North Dumfries Township at the Detweiler Meeting House in Ayr.
Every effort is
being made in placing the mistletoe high and away from the hands of the Grinch,
with tourism officials asking people to report any missing ones.
The winner will
receive the package that includes dinner at the Rich Uncle Tavern in Kitchener,
a one-night stay at the Delta Hotel in Waterloo and a VIP experience at a K-W
Titans basketball home game.
The package is valued
at $500 and photos must be posted by midnight Jan. 5 to be eligible.
Share the pictures using the hashtag #ExploreWRMistletoe and follow the
fun on Instagram @explorewaterlooregion. Details at: explorewaterlooregion.com/explorewrmistletoe
Waterloo winter wonders
It started in 1993
when Bill Weiler, a “creative citizen” of Waterloo, received a loan from the
City of Waterloo to install electrical service to power the first 5,000 lights
in a park.
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| Waterloo’s Wonders of Winter has 100 displays and 100,000 lights. |
Today with the help
of the community this has become the Wonders of Winter with more than 100 colourful displays and some 100,000
lights in Waterloo Park.
It’s on 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and
Saturday nights in December along with Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
Highlights and
attractions include free horse-drawn trolley rides, live plays, photos with
Santa, fireworks and light displays.
 |
| Horse-drawn trolley rides are offered at Wonders of Winter. |
The free event
welcomes donations. wondersofwinter.ca
Shine brightly
Still in Waterloo
Region, they’ve got the Gifts of Light making an encore visit at Bingemans in
Kitchener.
“The light isn’t at
the end of the tunnel – the light is the tunnel,” said park president Mark Bingeman.
 |
| A youngster is dazzled by the Gifts of Light in Kitchener. |
There are two
tunnels each an impressive 60-metres long with one featuring static lights and
the other being animated.
“It will get you in
the holiday spirit as the largest drive-through holiday display in southwestern
Ontario, Bingeman said.
The lights stretch
about two kilometres through the Bingemans campground, with a combination of
300 static and animated light displays and more than one-million twinkling
lights.
The tunnels contain
thousands of lights and the displays shine brightly until Jan. 4. bingemans.com;
(519) 744-1555
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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