Elanor Bukach
Student intern
Despite December’s inclement weather, Coastal Black Christmas was a success, raising nearly $10,000 in donations.
“It was a great year for us really, I mean the weather was super tough, we had nine really awful days out of the 12,” said Abel O’Brennan, owner of Coast Black Estate Winery. “It was on par with last year. We would have liked to have seen it higher, but it was on par or just slightly down from last year just because the weather was so good last year.”
The money raised went to two charities.
One dollar from each admission was donated to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, resulting in $7,043 raised. Local businesses decorated trees as part of Coastal Black’s Celebration of Trees and helped to raise $2,750 for the Comox Valley Transition Society.
Last year, money was raised for the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island as well as Habitat for Humanity.
Nightly live entertainment consisted of local musicians, dancers, an ice carver and other entertainers.
“Santa is always a huge draw and so are the reindeer, they are a big part of what brings people in. The fireworks are huge too,” said O’Brennan.
Encouraged by the attendance of 10,000 visitors despite the wind and rain, Coastal Black intends to maintain the same attractions for next year’s celebrations.