Hundreds of people headed to downtown Vernon Saturday evening for the official light up of the Carnival of Lights.

“When the Downtown Vernon Association decided not to do the light up any more we really wanted to see the community event continue so Winter Carnival decided we wanted to take it on,” said Vicki Proulx, with the Vernon Winter Carnival.

For years, the downtown light up ushered in the Yuletide season, but it has not been held by the DVA for several years.

So a light up next to city hall and the museum was introduced.

“This is kind of a revised version of the light up,” Proulx said. “It's not what everyone remembers from the old light up, but we hope to see this event grow and continue to bring community spirit which is what carnival is all about.”

The lights will shine bright until the end of December when they will be turned off, but they will be lit up again during the 63rd annual carnival, Feb. 3 to 12.

“It's actually a carnival tradition to turn your Christmas lights back on during winter carnival so that you can show your community spirit, show your carnival spirit so this is the perfect way to do that and to give something back to the community,” Proulx said.