INNISFAIL – Doug Bos is driving his pick-up slowly at 10 kilometres per hour down Candy Cane Lane before turning past a campground where a set of brilliant lights reflect off a partially frozen pond.
“There's no snow on there. It looks kind of like a winter wonderland,” said Bos.
He continues to drive and chat about his still new off-season project at Discovery Wildlife Park until a loud roar blasts from the darkness ahead; almost stopping his vehicle in its tracks.
“You heard the lion, right,” asked Bos, the co-owner of the park. “We're the only light display where you can drive around and listen to a lion's roar, see camels, see wolves and see the bears. None of the other light displays can do that.”
It is the second year for his zoo’s Light the Night; a novel Innisfail attraction that now boasts more than 600,000 lights along a two-kilometre route on zoo grounds that produces magic and wonder every holiday season sundown.
And if it’s a wee bit too cold outside, the Grinch is inside the now spectacularly lit main building to offer more holiday season magic.
There is also a Christmas Store filled with unique holiday season gift choices.
The park’s Light the Night attraction, which covers 60 acres of zoo property, is an investment of more than $100,000 to create a magical winter time paradise; a breathtaking mixture of traditional Christmas with nativity scenes and modern day fun and celebration that even includes Santa Claus riding a motorcycle.
The investment also has more than 27 kilometres of lights this year with 42 new handmade light displays, including a long row of eight-foot tall candy canes, a 150 foot-long moving, whistle-honking miniature train and new towering and glowing Christmas trees.
Bos’ winter wonderland creation covers more than 60 acres of zoo property.
“It is the largest light display in Alberta as far as area goes, as well as the number of lights,” said Bos.
Bos began transforming his zoo the day it closed for the season on Sept. 17 with 10 staff members. The transformation was completed on the 2023 Light the Night opening on Nov. 17.
“The first six weeks or so is all set up and then testing and changing and tweaking everything,” said Bos. “We have 48 timers out there that all have to be adjusted to come on and off at the right time, so we don't end up consuming more power than what we need to.”
His goal was to create a one-of-a-kind winter attraction for not only Central Alberta but anywhere in the province.
The Light the Night show is open for the public from 5 to 9 p.m. every day until Jan. 6.
And for just $30 plus GST, an entire carload of up to eight people can take their time down Candy Cane Lane and beyond, and tour, stop, photograph and hold their breath at a unique and glittering Central Alberta winter wonderland. The experience through Light the Night typically takes about 45 minutes.
“It's amazing how new Canadians are coming out and enjoying the lights and our traditions,” said Bos. “I don't know exactly what all their traditions are throughout the different countries that are represented but they're definitely coming out and taking it in.
“I think a lot of times it's the first time they've got to see Christmas lights like this.”
During last year’s inaugural Light the Night display about 6,500 motor vehicles came through Bos’ creation. This year he is hoping for 10,000.
“Last year we had 26,500 people because we track the amount of people in each carload. We are hoping for over 30,000 people this year,” said Bos.
But the veteran zookeeper and businessman also knows the word has to get out far beyond Innisfail to not only maintain his early success but into the future.
In fact, he is now leasing 129 acres immediately north of his 90-acre zoo, and wants to utilize at least a part of that in the future for the Light the Night attraction.
“We've done a lot of social media, and we’ve have done a lot of paid social media but so far you're (Albertan) the only media attention we've got,” said Bos. “It hasn't attracted any of the other media out there with the things to do in the wintertime.
“We're new. It takes time to get it out there.”
