SparkleTour map hopes to glow with Saskatchewan Christmas lights

SparkleTour is celebrating its fifth anniversary of showing people where to see the handiwork of creative decorators across Saskatchewan.

It’s an online map that relies on people to submit addresses with Christmas lights they feel other people would enjoy see, so families and friends can visit over the holiday season.

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SparkleTour creator Iann Gorrill has been busy getting ready to flip the switch this December from Regina.

“Everyone is always happy to know that there’s such a service available and something they can do with their families over Christmas,” Gorrill said.

“And a time a year when you may be a little strapped for cash, it’s nice to have something that’s relatively cheap to go out and do.”

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In 2015, 250 homes across the province lit up the map but for Gorrill, the more the merrier.

“I’d like to have a much bigger presence in Saskatoon, north of us would be nice. We have a very good following in Regina, but we definitely could use more,” Gorrill said.

“We really do rely on everyone to help each other out.”

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Naming the best decorated home in the province is a hard task; however, Gorrill said there’s one in Regina at 3414 Phaneuf Crescent that’s been seemingly vying to be the best stop on the tour.

“Since I’ve found out about him, he keeps adding thousands and thousands of lights a year and I think I’m part of the problem for him. He knows that I’m driving traffic to his house so he keeps making it bigger and better,” Gorrill said.

Unfortunately, Gorrill doesn’t have as much time as he’d like to work on his website with his new job and family, but he’s working with community partners to get prizes together again this year.

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Over the past three years, 634 addresses from 22 different Saskatchewan communities have been crowd-sourced and the website has had more than 88,000 page views.

SparkleTour becomes active Thursday but people can already start submitting addresses.