As the City of New Westminster gets set to launch Shine Bright 2022, it’s basking in the glow of some awards for its 2022 program.
The city has announced that the annual Shine Bright New West event won its third award last month – the Cultural Event Award from Creative City Network of Canada. The award recognizes visionary leadership in producing exceptional cultural events.
A city press release said CCNC’s awards jury commended the its “utilization of a challenging period for events during the pandemic to adjust how events are structured and for adopting lessons learned from these adjustments to events in the future.”
Mayor Patrick Johnstone said he’s glad to see city staff being recognized for their great work during difficult times, and to see them sharing this recognition with community partners.
“Shine Bright New West brought the community together and lifted spirits when residents and small businesses needed the boost,” he said. “I hope this recognition encourages further collaboration and increased interest in events that bring vibrancy and cultural diversity to our city.”
In May 2021, the Downtown New West BIA received the Special Events Programming Excellence Award from the Business Improvement Areas of B.C. for its Shine Bright Downtown lighting installation experience.
In May 2022, the City of New Westminster received the Festivals and Events Excellence Award from British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association.
Running from Dec. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023, the third annual Shine Bright New West event features holiday light displays, free events, creative activities and a variety of stage productions. This year’s highlights include nature art in the form of illuminated creatures that will appear in parks across the city, a Winter Solstice themed art exhibition at the Queen’s Park Gallery, and a variety of markets selling holiday and seasonal gifts and goodies.
“We’re excited to make this year’s Shine Bright even bigger and brighter than previous years, and we encourage everyone in the community to participate by putting up their own holiday lights,” said Lisa Kemp, program coordinator.
A full list of Shine Bright 2022 activities and experiences is available at www.newwestcity.ca/shinebright.
