As we crawl closer to December, people are starting to get into the holiday spirit.
Although we haven’t seen any snow around Kelowna’s city centre, and there’s none in the forecast in the near future, one thing is happening this week that will make it feel like the holidays.
On Thursday at 5:45 pm, the Tree of Hope will be lit up for the 22nd time in the city’s Landmark District.
There will be a private event at the base of the Tree of Hope to celebrate this year's light up, but you can obviously watch the lights go on from the sidewalk, nearby pedestrian bridge or anywhere else nearby.
The Tree of Hope has become a beloved annual tradition in Kelowna that came from the mind of Al Stober more than two decades ago.
He had the idea for the giant Christmas tree while at a local restaurant and proceeded to draw up a quick sketch of his idea on a napkin.
It will certainly be an emotional light up this year, as Stober passed away at the age of 88 just last month.
His massive legacy will live on and a small part of that is the Tree of Hope, which certainly looks to be an indefinite part of Kelowna’s holiday celebrations.
The 120-foot tall Tree of Hope will shine bright just off of Harvey Avenue thanks to around 25,000 LED energy efficient bulbs.
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