Mission, B.C. Set to Shine This Spring

Mission, B.C. Set to Shine This Spring

Mission, B.C., has a strong sense of community pride driven by its small-town roots, where visitors are treated like family, and the locals love nothing more than coming together to celebrate.

This month sees a new event light up the historic downtown, as unique designs illuminate the street lamps along First Avenue, mirrored on either side, ensuring you see them all. They symbolize an aspect of Mission that the community felt captured a piece of heritage, special location, or a characteristic important to the city.

Many of the light designs tie in with the very reason tourists come to the area, and with a self-guided walking map available, visitors from near and far are encouraged to visit the downtown area to see the displays, try the exclusive “Shine Bright” drinks and eats, shop and explore all that Mission has to offer.

FROM BRIGHT LIGHTS TO REALITY

The Mountains: Designed by children’s contest winner Elizabeth Gill, a local Mission student, who loved the magic that the snow-peaked mountain vistas made her feel. We agree, Elizabeth!

Stave Falls Powerhouse: This National Historic Site of Canada brings to life the history of hydroelectricity through an engaging and hands-on experience. Wander among gigantic generators and turbines and listen to the buzz of the tesla coil.

Mission Raceway Park: As the fastest drag strip in Western Canada that brings the exhilaration of sitting in the stands and feeling the heat of the jet car, screeching tires of the drifters, seeing the vintage beauty of the sports cars, and hearing the roar of the drag racing.

Waterfalls: With 12 lakes and a host of waterways including the mighty Fraser River, Mission has some impressive waterfalls such as the popular Cascade Falls, which boasts an immersive suspension bridge to get you up close and personal to nature at its most splendid.

Guitar: Celebrating the rich roots of music within the community, and the Mission Folk Music Festival, a weekend-long event that brings together the finest in folk, world, roots, and blues set against the backdrop of the Fraser Valley in July each year. Did you know Carly Rae Jepsen grew up here?

Clapperboard: Mission’s downtown and forested areas are often the leading locations for a host of your favourite movies and TV shows. Check out the Mission Movie Moment for a self-guided tour of stores and sites that have become stars in their own right.

Salmon: Depicting part of the Leq’á:mel First Nations logo showing the salmon and sturgeon, highlighting the importance of the river to the Stó:lō (People of the River). Here we work, learn, and play within traditional, ancestral, unceded, and shared lands of the Stó:lō people, which includes Sq’éwlets, Leq’á:mel, Semá:th, Matheqwí, and Qwó:ltl’el First Nations.

Tree Cross-Section: Mission has its own Municipal Tree Farm (TFL26), with access to incredible outdoor adventure with hiking, biking, boating, horse riding, and camping within the Stave West Forest and Recreation Area.

There sure is a lot to dazzle the most disconcerting of guests, so come for the lights and stay for the adventure. For more information: tourismmission.ca