Leah Bauer
If you are a resident of Norfolk (and the surrounding areas) then it is very likely that you have created some lifelong holiday memories at the Simcoe Christmas Panorama.
As a child one of the most magical nights of the holiday season was when you were finally able to attend the lights, and as an adult part of the fun is the nostalgia of reliving the magic you felt as a child. This ability to relive the magic is thanks to the hard work of the volunteers who work (and fundraise) tirelessly to both refurbish classic displays, and create new displays for the next generation.
On a Sunday, two weeks prior to the official November 30th opening, I had the opportunity to speak with some volunteers about the Simcoe Panorama, and all of the work that goes into creating the dazzling light display. Some of the volunteers had been a part of the Simcoe Panorama for 20 years, others for five, and some more recently joined in the past two years. Most credited their dedication to the Simcoe Panorama to the joy they bring to the children of the Norfolk community. While this may be a labour of love to the dedicated and frankly inspirational volunteers, it is a labour nonetheless as a truly amazing amount of community effort goes into creating this display.
The Simcoe Panorama is run completely by volunteers from fundraising efforts, to planning, and physical refurbishments. The challenges the volunteers face include keeping displays up to standard, repairing deterioration that has happened to some classic displays, and of course fundraising for the supplies required for repairs, and refurbishments. The entire reason we are able to enjoy the nostalgia of seeing displays from generations past is because of the immense efforts of the volunteers of the Simcoe Panorama.
This year's panorama marks the reintroduction of some popular classic displays that have undergone refurbishment, as well as some exciting new displays. As the opening date for the opening inches closer, the volunteers are finishing up final touches and starting to set up in the parks of Downtown Simcoe. The Simcoe Panorama is on every night from November 30th - January 1st.
Stop by, check out the displays, enjoy some hot chocolate, or even a ride in a horse trolley and meet Santa (on select nights). Soon enough Simcoe will be lit-up again thanks to all of the hard work of the volunteers.
Behind every nail in a display, every coat of paint, and every smile at the Simcoe Panorama is a volunteer who happily gave their time and effort for this event and our community. If you want to give something back to the volunteers consider donating to their Go Fund Me (http://www.gofundme.com/f/supportpanorama) or making a donation when you visit the Simcoe Panorama.
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