The lights of the 22nd annual BHP Enchanted Forest gleamed despite the pandemic during the holiday season with a record number of people checking out the 2.5 kilometre light tour.  Spokesperson, Hugh Vassos, says the previous record set two years ago was 80,520 people and this year the event attracted 91,995 visitors. That’s just over a 14 per cent increase.

Vassos expects people just wanted to get out of their homes and do something, and more people were staying home instead of going on a holiday, so the Enchanted Forest gave them a safe event option. The Light Walk Tours which usually begin and end the season weren’t held this year because of concerns around physical distancing.  Vassos says they are very popular events, so for the Enchanted Forest to shatter its previous attendance record without them was a big feat.

Once the expenses are tallied, the proceeds will be divided between the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation and the City Hospital Foundation.