Witches light up Wood Lake in start of new holiday tradition in Lake Country

Around 20 people braved the chilly waters of Wood Lake last week for a creative and bright event that looks to be the start of a new tradition.

The first annual Festive Lights Paddle was held over the holidays by a group that has made headlines for a similar activity in October.

It was hosted by the Wood Lake Water Witches, who took their concept of a cold-weather paddle in witch costumes around Halloween and put a festive nighttime spin on it.

The idea for the new event came from a group member in the wake of a very successful second annual Witch Paddle in the lead up to Halloween.

It began as a small event in 2022, but grew exponentially this year with more than 165 costumed participants paddle boarding on Wood Lake and nearly as many people cheering them on from the shore.

According to group member Sarah Thompson, the Wood Lake Water Witches Facebook group grew by hundreds of members around that time.

“These folks are all really into supporting such a fun small town event,” she told KelownaNow.

So when another member suggested a fun evening of kayaking with all the vessels lit up like Christmas trees, there was immediate support for the idea.

“It just so happened that the weather was amazing just before the new year, so we picked a date and quickly made it happen,” explained Thompson.

They chose Friday, Dec. 29, and the visuals were just as great as you might expect.

Nearly two dozen people participated, some in lit up boats and others enjoying the spectacle from the beach with a nice fire to keep them warm.

With safety top of mind, everyone who participated in a kayak wore a life jacket and took all other necessary precautions.

“Now that a number of photos and videos have been posted and circulating about the Festive Lights Paddle, so many people have expressed excitement to join us next year,” Thompson noted.

“Just like our second Witch Paddle being a big hit, I'm sure our second annual Festive Lights Paddle will be a huge success too.”

Thompson adds that it’s so great to see the community get together to take part in fun events like this and they’re hoping to plan another fun paddle night for the spring.

After that, of course, it appears as though the Witch Paddle and Festive Lights Paddle have both become annual staples on the Lake Country calendar.

Anyone wanting to get involved with these types of events hosted by the Wood Lake Water Witches should join their Facebook group, which has now surpassed 1,000 members.