Crowds cheer for first ever Fort Erie Christmas drone light show

More than 1,000 people were at the Fort Erie Race Track on Saturday night as a 200-drone Christmas light show rose over the infield, the biggest draw at this year’s Family Fun with Santa and Friends.

Fort Erie Festivals brought Northstar Drone Shows to town for the first time, following a full day of indoor activities for children from 2 to 6 p.m. The free event ran at the race track’s grandstand and grounds, where volunteers worked throughout the year to ensure families could enjoy the day for free.

The show capped an afternoon that filled the track’s indoor space with inflatable bouncy castles, a nine-hole mini golf course, a Polar Express trackless train, a Mad Science activity table, colouring stations, photo booths and visits with Fluffy the Clown. Food trucks lined the pavement outside ahead of the 6 p.m. launch.

Northstar Drone Shows, which has staged events in Ottawa, Toronto and Niagara Falls, deployed 200 synchronized drones over the infield for a 12-minute show set to music.

“It was a great day. It started out a little quieter than we thought, but we also assumed people would come near the end of the day. We’re very happy with the turnout,” said Barb Horning, Fort Erie Festivals volunteer and committee member.

Horning told Fort Erie Radio the committee spent months planning and fundraising through hosting bingo games to keep the day free.

The committee turned to drones to introduce something new to this year’s event. Previous years featured fireworks, except for last year, but the drone show brought an opportunity for a family- and pet-friendly cap-off to the day.

“This was a Fort Erie first. We beat Welland and Port Colborne with the light show. You do not see a drone light show in many places,” said Dave Sevcik, Fort Erie Festivals committee chair.

Horning emphasized that all organizers are unpaid volunteers who logged long hours running bingos, preparing grant applications and coordinating indoor attractions. She also praised committee member Bob Brown, who was instrumental in getting the drone show this year.

“We as a committee worked really hard for this, and Bob Brown really pushed for the drones.”

Fort Erie Festivals will resume bingo fundraising in the new year to prepare for the 2025 event.

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