A Victoria tech company that sold 8,000 tickets for a drive-through holiday light show at Ogden Point has postponed the event “indefinitely” and will be refunding money from advanced sales starting Monday.
Organizers had planned a display of Christmas lights and sounds as family members and other COVID-19 bubble groups drove through a 25-minute course in their vehicles at the cruise terminal pier, warehouse and parking lot.
Transcend Victoria said it had to postpone after learning the latest health orders from the province restricting gatherings included drive-through events. A similar event on the Lower Mainland organized by electronics giant Best Buy was also not allowed.
Victoria Wonderland was expected to run daily from Dec. 8 to Dec. 31, and a sellout within 48 hours of the initial announcement last month had organizers hopeful they could extend the show into January.
Transcend Victoria spokesman Mike Wilson said although the provincial health orders could change as early as Monday to allow the event, they had to make a call to pull the plug this week. Organizers had already invested $50,000 in the show — money he said they likely won’t recover — and a further $200,000 was needed to pull it off.
“We obviously created this contactless production specifically with COVID-19 in mind, and are severely disappointed that we won’t be able to bring what we believe to be a very safe bit of merriment to our community this holiday season,” said Graham Meckling, a local entrepreneur and one of the founding producers of the event.
“Having said that, we are keenly aware of how many local businesses have suffered and persevered all year, never mind our heroic front-line workers, and so we will take a lesson from them and keep our chins up and look toward a brighter future.
“We are all very heartened at the level of support that arose for this vision, and look forward to bringing similar experiences to Victoria as soon as circumstances allow.”
Some proceeds from each ticket were to benefit Victoria Hospice, the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society, Power to Be and the Make a Wish Foundation.
Organizers say people who bought tickets can seek a refund starting at noon Monday at victoriawonderland.com.
dkloster@timescolonist.com
