Martin C. Barry
Laval Mayor Marc Demers, Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx and Cavalia founder Normand Latourelle met at Cavalia’s offices on Aug. 20 to unveil Illumi, a spectacular outdoor light show that will be held in Laval from early November through the Christmas holidays.
The lights were switched off at Cavalia on d’Iberville Street in Montreal as dignitaries and guests wandered through the glow of light structures that will decorate the gigantic Illumi site.
10 million points of light
Located alongside Autoroute 15 near downtown Laval where Cavalia staged their spectacular equestrian shows for many years, the Illumi site measures 50,600-square metres – an area equivalent to 30 hockey rinks.
When completed, the Illumi show will illuminate the night with more than 10 million brilliant lights in the largest multimedia sound and light show on the planet, according to its creators.
The night-time outdoor event, which Cavalia says will be “a magical, captivating and extraordinary journey” created from thousands of colourful light structures, will be open until early January 2020.
Five-year contract with city
Ticket prices will be ranging from $14.50 to $26.50 (+ taxes). The City of Laval has signed a contract with the company that will see the show or a variation of it continue over a period of five years.
“I am very happy to have Cavalia returning to our city with a new, unique, world-class artistic concept that will make Laval shine,” said Demers. “We have entered into an agreement for the production of this event, with an investment of $750,000 over five years that will generate major economic benefits for Laval and for Quebec as a whole.
Local employment creation
“This event will also make it possible to support over 120 jobs, most of which will be right here in Laval,” he added. “We believe that with Illumi we will continue to rank as a choice tourist destination.”
Proulx announced a $2 million subsidy for the Illumi project as part of the Quebec government’s efforts to develop event tourism and promote Quebec products in order to stand out from the international competition.
The project has already received $200,000 in support provided in equal shares by the Ministry of Tourism and Tourisme Laval. According to the ministry, the investments will help stimulate Laval regional economy, attract visitors and increase Laval’s tourism revenues.
Raising Quebec’s profile
“Your government is indeed proud to support this initiative, which is enriching our tourism offerings by proposing an extraordinary winter experience,” said Proulx. “This vast project will assuredly raise Quebec’s profile abroad and, more than ever, position it as an essential, world-class destination, thereby engendering significant economic spinoff.”
“This unique event will wonderfully complement the winter touristic offer in the Greater Montreal region,” said Geneviève Roy, president and CEO of Tourisme Laval. “We are enthusiastically welcoming this new multimedia creation in the heart of downtown Laval for the next five years. Once again, the spirit of cooperation, engagement and determination of stakeholders from Laval’s tourism industry highlight our commitment to develop, together, rallying projects that will benefit the region.”
Helping Cité de la Santé
At same time, Illumi announced that they are partnering with the Fondation Cité de la Santé de Laval to support their annual fundraising efforts. As such, 50 per cent of the ticket sales in the first week of Illumi will go to the Laval-based health care foundation.
“This generous offer from Mr. Latourelle will allow the Foundation, between November 3 and November 10, to stress the urgent needs in our community and the actions taken by the CISSS de Laval to improve the quality of care and social services in the region,” said Louis Gaudreau, chair of the board of directors of the Fondation Cité de la Santé.
