Story by Vince Hempsall. Photos by Adrian Wagner.
“Fire is amazing to watch. It’s alive. It changes things.”
So says artist Spring Shine who, for 15 years, has helped create massive wooden sculptures depicting everything from mushrooms to fantastical creatures. He then burns them to the ground.
Shine lives in Argenta, a rural community located about two hours north of Castlegar, and for the past three years he and fellow artisans Christopher Petersen and Yvonne Boyd have designed the showcase sculptures of Castlegar’s Night of Fire event. Actually, calling it an “event” is misleading. Night of Fire is a full-on, full-body experience: heat glances cheeks, wood smoke scents the air, and everyone gasps when the lovingly handcrafted sculpture collapses in flame.
The trio of artists first attempted a large-scale sculpture burn at the Argenta Fall Fair in 2009. Shine says through the years some of their sculptures burned beautifully while others were stubborn and slow. They’ve learned a lot since then and applied their knowledge to Castlegar Sculpturewalk’s Night of Fire event in 2002. Covid restrictions had just ended and people were tentatively stepping back into shared spaces, looking for connection, catharsis, and a bit of spectacle. Shine, Petersen and Boyd delivered. They burned a 20-foot-dragon with a body like a furnace and a giant neck that acted like a chimney. The following year they built a phoenix and then another dragon in 2024. “We all love Sculpturewalk,” says Shine. “It’s been an honour and a privilege to participate and to entertain the artists, organizers, and the people of Castlegar.”
Last year’s creation might be their most meaningful, though. “We had a huge fire in Argenta that summer,” says Shine. The community managed to fend it off but it gave him “this idea we could make a big hollow tree and have something light it on fire. When it burned down, there’d be a cone in the middle left over.” It would be symbolic of the circularity of life: out of destruction, something new arises. So they built a 24-foot-tall hollow tree that looked remarkably like a real, live one. Then they constructed a dragon alongside it at ground level. When the flames climbed the trunk and the tree collapsed inward, the sculpture revealed the metal cone standing in the ashes like a relic. It was made from 45 old shovel heads welded together and was designed to serve as a fire pit afterward. It was eventually raffled off to one lucky winner.
The evening included a lantern parade and live music before everyone took their spots around the sculpture. Watching something that size go up requires space, planning, and a serious respect for physics. It always takes place in a wide open area in Millennium park and crowds are kept about 30 feet back. The team spends roughly eight hours on site preparing for the burn, checking angles and supports, making sure the sculpture will catch, collapse, and burn safely. And then, despite all the planning, there is always that moment when the fire takes over. When the audience falls quiet. When the artists step back and let the thing live out its final minutes.
By the time the flames die down, the crowd is flushed and buzzing and the encroaching winter suddenly feels a little less intimidating. And that’s the true magic of Night of Fire. It pulls the community together for something fleeting but unforgettable.
2025 NIGHT OF FIRE FACTS
-
-
Event: Castlegar Sculpturewalk’s annual Night of Fire and Awards Celebration
-
Date & Time: Friday, December 12, lighting at 6 pm, with the event running about one hour
-
Location: Geronazzo Pit at Millennium Park, Castlegar
-
Access via the Millennium Walkway trail entrance near the community garden and dog park
-
Look for signage and volunteers guiding attendees into the pit area
-
-
Cost: Free to attend, by donation
-
Parking: Limited parking at Millennium Park; attendees are encouraged to carpool or walk if possible
- Timeline:
- 5:45-6:10: Brass Carolers
- 6:10 – Indigenous Welcome
- 6:15 – Welcome by Sculpturewalk ED
- 6:20 – Awards by Deputy Mayor Brian Bogle (This is when the winners of the Castlegar Sculpturewalk are announced.)
- 6:30 – Lighting of Sculpture (this takes about 20 minutes total)
- 7:00 – Event end
-
-
What to Wear:
-
Warm winter layers, snow boots, mitts, and a hat
-
Avoid synthetic or highly flammable clothing
-
Be prepared for muddy ground or snow
-
-
What to Bring:
-
A camping chair, blanket, or something to sit on (no seating provided)
-
Hot chocolate, tea, or snacks, since no food vendors or refreshments are available
-
A flashlight or headlamp for navigating the path after dark
-
-
Safety Notes:
-
Children must be supervised at all times and kept well back from the fire perimeter
-
No washrooms onsite
-
-
Family Friendly: All ages are welcome and the fire is visible from a safe distance
- More info: castlegarsculpturewalk.com/night-of-fire-awards