Yorkdale's Swarovski Crystal Wonderland - Holiday 2012 to be unveiled with special performance by Nikki Yanofsky

Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Swarovski Canada reveal spectacular new holiday display in support of Toronto's SickKids Hospital

TORONTO, Nov. 20, 2012 /CNW/ - Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Swarovski Canada are set to kick off the holiday season by unveiling Yorkdale's Swarovski Crystal Wonderland - Holiday 2012. New this holiday season, Yorkdale's Swarovski Crystal Wonderland promises to become one of Canada's most spectacular holiday displays. The unveiling will take place in support of The Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, November 21 at 5:15 p.m., and will include performances by Canada's own Nikki Yanofsky.

Yorkdale's new Swarovski Crystal Wonderland includes a crystallized forest with more than 20,000 Swarovski Annual Edition ornaments and thousands of strands of crystal rain and crystal elements. The stunning winter forest features iconic Canadian wildlife including polar bears, owls and deer, along with Santa's magical sleigh - a dazzling display adorned with thousands of glittering Swarovski crystals that will serve as the backdrop for visits with the big man himself! Yorkdale's Swarovski Crystal Wonderland will be on display in Centre Court beginning November 21 through the end of 2012.

"For nearly fifty years Yorkdale has been the setting for holiday memories. We are very excited to welcome Santa back to the shopping centre and to unveil Yorkdale's Swarovski Crystal Wonderland for the very first time," said Anthony Casalanguida, General Manager of Yorkdale Shopping Centre. "The magic of the holiday season is truly present in our new wonderland and we look forward to offering a memorable holiday experience for Torontonians with Swarovski Canada."

Hosted by Dina Pugliese and Kevin Frankish of CityTV's Breakfast Television, the evening's festivities will include a holiday performance by quadruple-platinum, musical prodigy, Nikki Yanofsky. A special opening performance by the Youth Chorus of the Canadian Children's Opera Company will begin at 5:15 p.m.

"We are thrilled to unveil Yorkdale's one-of-a-kind Swarovski Crystal Wonderland as a brand new holiday tradition," said Susan Wolfe, Vice-President Sales and Marketing, Swarovski Canada. "It is perhaps a feeling of nostalgia that draws you to a tree at Christmas time and for decades Swarovski has celebrated the magic and tradition of the season through the creation of awe-inspiring holiday experiences. It is through a shared vision for family and fashion that made the collaboration with Yorkdale a natural fit and we are proud to celebrate the season's moments to give by supporting SickKids."

In the spirit of the holidays, Torontonians are also invited to take part in the Swarovski Children's Sparkling Dreams Workshops at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in support of SickKids.  For $20 donation participants receive a decorating kit containing a large frosted holiday ornament with an assortment of colourful Swarovski crystals to make their own personalized creation. Staffed by volunteers from Project Sunshine, the workshops will take place across from the Swarovski Crystal Wonderland at Yorkdale from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each Saturday starting November 24 and running until December 22.

Families can sign up for the workshops at www.yorkdale.com or call 905-752-0498 ext. 3330.

Spread the joy on Twitter - #CrystalWonderland.

About Yorkdale Shopping Centre

With more than 250 shops and services Yorkdale Shopping Centre is Canada's premier shopping destination. Yorkdale recently underwent a $220 million expansion - the largest and most significant expansion in its history -  growing to a total of 1.6 million square feet of retail space that features some of the world's best fashion, technology and luxury brands. Offering 7,400 parking spaces, valet parking and seating reservations at the Dine on 3 food collection, everything about Yorkdale is designed to enhance shoppers' experiences. Yorkdale is managed by Oxford Properties and owned by Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), on behalf of its clients, and Oxford Properties Group. Yorkdale is located at 3401 Dufferin Street, off Allen Road, near the 401. For more information, download the Yorkdale app, visit www.yorkdale.com, or follow @yorkdalestyle on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

About Swarovski

In 1895, Daniel Swarovski, a Bohemian inventor and visionary, moved to the village of Wattens, Tyrol in Austria, with his newly-invented machine for cutting and polishing crystal jewelry stones. From this beginning that revolutionised the fashion world, Swarovski has grown to be the world's leading producer of precision-cut crystal for fashion, jewelry and more recently lighting, architecture and interiors. Today, the company, still family-owned and run by 5th generation family members, has a global reach with some 26,100 employees, a presence in over 120 countries and a turnover in 2011 of 2.22 billion euros. Swarovski comprises two major businesses, one producing and selling loose elements to the industry and the other creating design-driven finished products. Swarovski crystals have become an essential ingredient of international design. Since 1965 the company has also catered to the fine jewelry industry with precision-cut genuine gemstones and created stones. Showing the creativity that lies at the heart of the company, Swarovski's own brand lines of accessories, jewelry and home décor items are sold through more than 2,200 retail outlets worldwide. The Swarovski Crystal Society has close to 300,000 members across the world, keen collectors of the celebrated crystal figurines. And in Wattens, Swarovski Kristallwelten, the multi-media crystal museum, was opened in 1995 as a celebration of Swarovski's universe of innovation and inspiration.

About SickKids Foundation

Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and is the largest charitable funder of child health research, learning and care in Canada. Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for SickKids -- one of the world's foremost paediatric health-care institutions. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, SickKids Foundation made an investment of $61.3 million in children's health, a direct result of community and corporate support. For more information, please visit www.sickkidsfoundation.com.

SOURCE: Swarovski

Jennifer Kaiser
Media Profile (For Yorkdale Shopping Centre)
416-342-1817
[email protected]    

Sherri-Lyn Brown
Edelman (for Swarovski Canada)
416-849-8916
[email protected]