Organizers of a festival opening in a week at the Red River Ex grounds are hoping ‘Peggers can spot their stolen panda.
A thief made off with one of Lights of the North’s fiberglass pandas last week, and a second panda poacher tried again a few days ago.
“It’s crazy, there’s all sorts of security there now,” laughed Ian Leatt, president of Pegasus Publications and a member of the festival’s organizing committee.
The festival has a small family of fibreglass pandas on display, with an adult panda overseeing about a dozen smaller pandas. The smaller pandas are about three feet tall, said Leatt, and being made of fibreglass, aren’t particularly heavy.
“[The thief] stuck one under his arm and took off like Usain Bolt,” said Leatt. “We couldn’t catch the guy.”
Two days ago, a woman also tried to commit a bear-snatching but ultimately failed.
While the pandas are on the site, the festival lights and displays are being set up over a 10-hectare area and that can make it a little difficult to patrol.
Leatt said the festival didn’t report the theft to police and has taken a lighthearted approach to the “pandamonium.”
“If people spot the panda, they should take a picture, post it on social media,” Leatt said, adding maybe the panda thief should take it around to Winnipeg’s tourist spots.
Lights of the North opens on Aug. 31 and runs until October.
WATCH: Lights of the North comes to Winnipeg
Comments