Victoria Christmas Lights on Beach Drive

Light Up the City is both a competition of who has the best Christmas decorations in Victoria as well as a donation drive for those less fortunate.

In 2022 the event ran from the middle of November until the end of December. In 2023 it went from November 1st until December 15th.

For the official Light Up the City website, visit gvfs.ca.

Thrifty Foods Light Up the City in Victoria

Organized by the Greater Victoria Festival Society, Light Up the City is a relatively recent addition to the Victoria holiday scene.

Light Up the City began in 2020 and was created as an alternative holiday celebration when the regular Santa Light Parade was cancelled that year. Light Up the City has continued as well and takes place again this year too.

Light Up the City incorporates a few different elements into its festivities. First, there is a Christmas decorations competition. Anyone in the Greater Victoria area can enter themselves into the contest by decorating their home or business and submitting a photo of their place. Winners are decided by an online vote and there are lots of prizes.

Christmas Lights on Beach Drive

How to Enter the Competition

Anyone in the Greater Victoria area can enter the Light Up the City competition for no cost. All you have to do is decorate your home, take a picture and submit the photo.

Each entry is submitted into one of five categories. There are apartments/condos, local businesses, community organizations, homes and First Nations communities. In 2021, three submissions in each of those five categories were declared winners and received prizes.

There are no set guidelines for the competition. Just light up your home, business or community and throw your hat in the ring! Last year there was also a map that included where all of the submissions were, so people could drive around and see them all.

To enter the contest in 2022 you need to send an email with a photo of your place to gvfsvic@gmail.com.

Victoria House at Christmas