The 25th edition of Wildlights at the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops kicks off on Friday, Dec. 9.

General Manager, Glenn Grant, says there will be over a million lights set up this year, noting the annual event will run between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. every night until Jan. 2, with the exception of Christmas Day. The lights will be turned on at 5 p.m. each night.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Grant says there are a couple of new areas this year.

“Indoors in the Eco Gallery, it has been turned into a Winter Wonderland and that is where you are going to find Santa,” Grant said.

“Outside, where the wolves used to be, they’ve redone an old old scene that people might remember from years ago, that had some African animals in it. The North Pole is also a little bit larger, a little bit brighter.”

A number of old favourites are returning including the Kamloops Princess Parties Magical Forest, Uncle Chris the Clown, the Canadian Tire Kamloops Holiday Gazebo, the 250-foot Tunnel of Lights, and a 20-foot-tall outdoor light tree.

In addition, the Wildlife Express will be operating nightly from 5 p.m., with the last train run at about 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $1 each – cash only – and can be bought at the train station inside the park.

“Most years we do our best to try and do something new,” Grant added. “It doesn’t always happen, but this year, there definitely is some new stuff this year. Once we do something new, then its kind of nice to add a little bit every year, until we move onto something else. There are a ton of lights.”

Grant says they’ve also partnered with the Canucks Autism Network on opening night so that people with sensory issues can enjoy Wildlights as well.

“We have a lot a guests that come that have sensory issues or sensory concerns and with the lights being really bright and flashy and music playing everywhere and all the hustle and bustle and the busyness, it does kind of take away from their experience,” he said.

“So with the Canucks Autism partnership, we’ll have no music, no lights will be flashing. There will be quiet zones within the park because we do think that everybody should be able to come and enjoy Wildlights.”

There will also be a Visual Storybook giving people an idea of what they can expect at the park, along with sensory kits – complete with noise cancelling headphones and other supports – available for anyone who may need one.

According to BC Wildlife Park estimates, Wildlights brings in between $250,000 to $300,000 in revenue each year. That money, Grant says, is used to support park operations through the leaner winter months.

“It gives us about 20 per cent of our annual attendance and about 20 per cent of our revenue, which is huge,” Grant said. “After the event is over, through January and February, when we’re closed during the day, we still have to feed the animals, we still have to pay our staff, we still have to keep the lights on and the buildings heated.

“There are a number of operational expenses to carry through for a couple of months until spring break when things really start to pick up again.”

You’ll find more details and ticket information on the BC Wildlife Park’s website.