A different take on holiday light tours is lighting up the night at a local farm this festive season.
The Yule Fest on the Farm wagon ride and light tour takes you through the decorated farm and forest at The Roost Farm.
"It's really lovely," says Shannon O’Donnell, the co-owner of the farm. "Through the hay field, there are farm-related displays, and into the forest, it's a whimsical winter wonderland with beavers, moose, and bears."
The main attraction of the wagon ride is Santa's Sugar Shack, a decorated area that makes you feel as if you are in a candyland version of the North Pole.
"It's beautifully lit up," O’Donnell said. "Santa and Mrs. Claus are waiting for everybody to get off the wagon to have hot chocolate, a cookie, and a nice warm fire."
O’Donnell says the light tour at The Roost Farm is unlike any other in the area.
"We purposely didn't do any big words that are lit up, we don't have dinosaurs, Barbies, or cool things like that," she said. "It's very themed around Christmas on the farm."
During the light tour on Kirkfield Road in Kawartha Lakes, visitors will see light displays that include roosters, cows, sheep, and other "really fun" farm themes.
While The Roost Farm has been established for seven years, this is the first year for a holiday event of this kind.
"The last few years have been hard," O’Donnell said. "During COVID we had to cancel a lot of our big events that promoted agriculture tourism."
O’Donnell says 2023 has been an "awful year globally for a lot of people," which is what has inspired them to host such a holiday attraction.
"We have beautiful land that brings a lot of joy to our family, friends, and people who come out," she said. "It makes us really happy to have people on our farm."
Those who attended Yule Fest this past weekend "loved it," O’Donnell says.
"Friday night was the first time I had seen it lit up and it blew me away," she said. "We've decorated around 60 acres of our farm. It's really beautiful, fabulous, and unique."
The light tours happen hourly from 4 to 8 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings until Dec 17. It costs $15 per person and children under three ride free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Brechin Lions Club to support the Ramara Families in Need program.
"I'm from Brechin originally which is why we always do what we can to help out," O’Donnell said. "Families are in need worse than we have ever seen before in our area."
To purchase your tickets for Yule Fest on the Farm, click here.