It's the first weekend of 2024!
1. Last chance to see Borealis Lights
The second annual Borealis Lights drive-thru Christmas display opened to the public in late November in Riel Park, and is open this weekend from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. before closing for the year.
“Borealis Lights Christmas drive-thru lighting display offers dazzling new light displays that are sure to bring smiles to family, friends and colleagues,” the event's website says. “Your experience is estimated to take 25 to 30 minutes to complete.”
Tickets for the display start at $32, and are charged on a per-vehicle basis with up to 9 passengers per car.
“A portion of every ticket will be going directly to charities supported by the St. Albert Kinsmen Club.”
2. Merchants games
St. Albert's Junior B hockey team, the Merchants, are back in action this weekend after a holiday break.
The Merchants, who won 17 straight games to start the year, currently lead the Capital Junior Hockey League's West Division with just 12 games remaining before playoffs.
Tonight at 8:00 p.m. the Merchants will take on the Strathcona Bruins at Jarome Iginla Arena in St. Albert.
Forward Nico Gallo, who leads the team in goals this year with 24 in just 26 games, recently tied Matt Havens for second in all-time goal scoring history for the Merchants with 82.
Gallo needs just four more goals to tie the team's all-time regular season goal scorer Casey Reid, who spent four seasons with the Blue Guys between 2012 and 2016.
On Sunday, the Merch will head north to Morinville to take on the Jets at 4:30 p.m.
Heading into this weekend's games, the Jets sit eight points back of the Merchants for first place.
3. Skating
If you'd rather go skating than watch other people skate, most of St. Albert's outdoor public skating rinks have been open for the season for the past month despite the Edmonton region's mild winter so far.
While young hockey and ringette players will likely dominate the boarded outdoor rinks, those looking for an easy going afternoon of skating can head to Lions Park downtown to skate on the social surface and freezeway, as well as social skating surfaces in select neighbourhoods.
An up-to-date list of which rinks and surfaces are open can be found on the city's website.
