Starting even earlier this year, Denise and Jim Maderios began preparing for the Christmas season in July.

While some lights are part of the setup, the initial work includes arranging tables, laying down plywood, and crafting mountains, train bridges, and other structures using Styrofoam and creative ideas Denise finds online.

The couple鈥檚 efforts go into Christmas on Cascara, a miniature village display in their Courtenay garage. Now in its fifth year, they believe it is the largest Christmas village display in the Comox Valley.

They began their collection about 30 years ago and estimate that their current collection includes approximately 220 houses, about 400 people, and 300 cars鈥攁ll set up in a walk-through display.

New this year is a beach scene that includes driftwood from Point Holmes, a representation of the Bighouse at the K'贸moks First Nation and the Chief Johnson Totem Pole from Ketchikan, AK, and an ice sculpture display, along with upgrades to past features such as a moving train and chairlift on Mount Washington.

This year, they hope the display village - located at 2860 Cascara Cres. - will bring in as many people as possible.

"We average around 35 to 40 people a night, but we had around 600 people in total last year," notes Denise. 

Admission is by donation, with all proceeds going to the Comox Valley Food Bank, the BC Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation and 台湾MM裸聊室 Behavioural Consulting. They will also be accepting non-perishable goods for the food bank. Last year, the couple received around $3,000 in donations. 

Visitors can search for Comox Valley landmarks in the village such as the 19 Wing Comox, Mount Washington, and the former Starlight Theatre Drive-In theatre with speaker boxes. Additionally, there are hidden details for kids and adults alike to find as they view the village: two melted snowmen, raccoons on the loose, four dinosaurs and a Santa in a port-a-potty. 

The facility is wheelchair-accessible, and the couple is looking forward to welcoming groups from local retirement homes and organizations. Additionally, they encourage families to come by for multiple viewings, as it鈥檚 easy to miss many details with so many items on display.

The village is open 5 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Nov. 20 to Dec. 21. 

For more information or to book a private viewing, call the Madeiros at 250-897-5643 or 250-218-7177.