In November 2021 we attended First Light at Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons. We were booked for the 2020 event, but like many things that year, it had been cancelled.

Located on the banks of the Wye River, near Midland and the shores of Georgian Bay, this area was the ancestral homeland of the Huron-Wendat nation, a branch of the Haudenosaunee.

At First Light you can discover, or rediscover, the historic site which is set aglow with candlelight for the occasion.

On that chilly early winter evening, the first reopening since the 2019 season, over 1000 candles adorned the site. Typically there are up to 4000. Nonetheless the warm amber glow beautifully illuminated this famous 17th-century mission.

The candlelit pathways guided us through the grounds and historic buildings, which were decorated for the holiday season.

Open fires were crackling here and there so you could stop to warm up before carrying on with your tour.

There were treats in the cookhouse and a selection of local vendors set up in the Brebéuf Event Centre and museum, featuring a variety of items for sale. Whether you choose to visit this historical site during the regular season or during a special event such as First Light you will feel like you have taken a step back through time.