The Diamond Valley is set to glow this weekend.
Bringing back the Light Up Black Diamond event for Dec. 4, the town will focus on connecting the community.
“Last year, there was no Light Up, and although this is a scaled down version because of COVID restrictions, it’s still an opportunity for the community to come together,” said Black Diamond CAO Sharlene Brown.
“A couple of things that are a little different this year. Although it’s scaled back and there’s no fire pits, no wagon rides, at least it’s a start in the right direction to be able to say ‘Let's move forward and let’s build from this.’”
Business and community participation will still be at the core of the event, however.
“Businesses will be open late, and one of the new things that we’re doing this year in the spirit of collaboration is we’re sharing spaces with some of the Turner Valley businesses,” Brown said.
“The businesses have come together and are going to provide shared space for each other. Although we’ll have one main destination, there will be the opportunity to see what the region has to offer.”
Local youth are also pitching in.
“The (Oilfields) high school is moving forward with providing decorative areas throughout town where you’re able to take a selfie, and then there will be a prize package for who’s got the most creative photo," Brown said,
Crafting an event has been a challenge with the uncertainty of the pandemic, said Shelley Broadley, planning and economic development assistant for Black Diamond.
“It’s nice to be able to put on something for our community,” Broadley said. “It’s been a kind of dance with the ongoing changes to the provincial restrictions. We worked with what we had and came up with a plan.”
While neighbouring municipalities such as Okotoks were able to have large street festivals, Broadley said, the smaller resources at hand wouldn’t make it possible for Black Diamond.
“Unfortunately we don’t have the same levels of staffing they do,” she said.
“There’s still things for people to do, and I think it was fantastic the (Oilfields) high school students stepped up and decorated the storefronts on Centre Ave so people can come down and take their pictures in the festive backdrops."
Another contribution from the students is virtual visits with Santa, Broadley added.
“It’s a 100 per cent virtual opportunity, so families can access it from anywhere they’ve got a working connection with Zoom, and they’ll be able to call Santa up at his office in the North Pole and be able to have a one-on-one chat with him,” she said.
The Town of Black Diamond will also be promoting the downtown redevelopment plan, Brown added.
“There will be a tent set up to promote engagement opportunities and talk about what needs to happen in our downtown core, now and into the future,” she said, adding the Town’s sustainability committee will also be engaging community members and gathering feedback for vision and direction.
The downtown event will run from 5-9 p.m.
For the latest information about Light Up Black Diamond, visit town.blackdiamond.ab.ca or the Town of Black Diamond’s Facebook page.
For virtual visits with Santa, visit https://oilfieldshighschool.setmore.com/
