VIDEO: Year of work worthwhile when seeing Glow guests’ faces

Walking through the brightly lit entrance, past an elf, pair of elephants, and herd of jumping rubber reindeer, guest enter a huge greenhouse that been transformed with lights, a small passenger train, live entertainment, and more into a Christmas carnival-themed holiday experience.

It’s Glow Langley, and it’s back for the 2023 holiday season, opening for its seventh year last Thursday night, with more than 2,000 through the gate.

“That’s a very good starting day,” said Glow’s operations director Daryl Driegen.

Driegen described opening night as “amazing,” calling it “better, probably, than any of the opening nights we’ve had before.”

Anecdotal feedback from several visitors indicated to Driegen that it was a better show because of the mix of outdoor displays and heated indoor spaces for activities and vendors.

“I had a lot of people come up to me and say ‘this is as good as it can be with the mix of both worlds.’ So, it was very exciting to hear that from the guest who actually came in the door – not people I knew, just people who came up to tell me,” he shared.

“It makes us feel like, hey maybe we accomplished what we set out to do. What we were hoping to do was bring a really good community event, and try to make it better than we’ve ever done before.”

Asked to share his favourite moment on night one, Driegen didn’t hesitate.

“The highlight is always getting to see the first kids faces on the first day. I think that’s always my highlight every year. It’s not anything special to this year,” he said. “When you get that first family in the door, and no public has seen it before… the year of work and prep is all worth it.”

While work began back in September to literally start setting up the show, Driegen acknowledged he and a few members of the team were still running around the site a few minutes before the doors initially opened, tweaking some of the new audio and visual components of the show.

Last year’s show drew 92,000 visitors. This year’s festival – Driegen predicted – will be bigger.

Glow Langley runs until Dec. 30. It will not be going into the New Year this time.

For more information on event schedule, ticket sales, discounted days, and timelines, people can visit: Christmas Glow Langley (glowgardens.com).