Glow Barrie

It all began while I was scrolling through Instagram one evening. An advertisement popped up promoting Glow Barrie. It definitely looked intriguing so of course I had to click on it. Well it didn’t take long to convince me…within 15 minutes I had chosen a date and purchased tickets for our entire family to attend. At 40% off how could I resist? I really didn’t know anything about the event other than its location, but based on the photos I was certain it was going to be a great night.

As the date quickly approached my hubby and I began talking about it more and more in front of the kids. It was even more exciting because this outing marked the official start to our Holiday season! On the day of the event we dressed the kids in their comfy holiday clothing, packed a few snacks and headed north to Barrie for what proved to be a spectacular evening.

The drive was relatively easy, although we took several side roads in order to avoid the 400 northbound traffic. We arrived a little later than we anticipated which I thought was going to be an issue because when we bought the tickets, we also had to choose a start time. However, they were quick to inform us that our late arrival was a non-issue. These times were simply to encourage a steady influx of people over the course of the evening. And so our night was set to begin (after a few washroom breaks of course!).

So what is it all about?? When you walk in you literally feel surrounded by the spirit of Christmas. There are thousands upon thousands of Christmas lights, music playing, activities for the entire family, food, a center stage and the big guy himself…Santa Claus. As you journey around from one location to the next, you can expect to be impressed by the illuminated structures and interactive displays. People of all ages are sure to be entertained making it a night the entire family can enjoy.

Some tips and considerations should you decide to attend:

It is easy to get there and they offer lots of free parking.

We arrived around 5:30 which we later realized was a good choice. Although it never felt overwhelmingly busy, it did pick up around 6:30 and at that point there were certain areas that got busy (the children’s playground, the bar and food area in particular).

They do offer face painting, by two of the most talented face painters I’ve ever seen! On a side note: If you’re going do it, opt to do it earlier in the evening which allows the kiddies to enjoy it for your entire stay. We mistakenly chose to do it right before we left and unfortunately they all fell asleep in the car…ruining most of it. Lesson learned!

Do dress in your comfy holiday clothing...sweaters, leggings, jeans etc. There are so many photo opportunities. And leave the coats and outdoor accessories in the car. Although it’s a Greenhouse, it’s surprisingly warm and cozy inside.

If possible eat dinner ahead of time and bring snack foods for the littles. They advertise food trucks on site, however you are very limited with the selection. Hot dogs, assorted beverages and beaver tails…that’s pretty much it.

It’s definitely an event for all ages. The children’s castle, face painting and visit with Santa were highlights for my middle two kids. My oldest loved gathering stamps in his passport, as he visited each country’s light display, my youngest was fascinated by the thousands of hanging lights, my hubby loved that he could walk around with a beer in hand and I loved visiting the gift shop!

I’m pretty certain tickets are still available for this year! Be sure to check it out…and tickets always seem to go on sale so be sure to look for special deals.