It was a frigid, soggy shopping trip a few Decembers ago that inspired Wilson Lee to create Vancouver Winter Wonderland, Canada's largest indoor Christmas festival. It opens this weekend (Friday) at the PNE Forum.

More than just a place to find unique gifts for your loved ones, the event will include a number of special activities like arts and crafts for kids, daily musical performances, carnival games, custom-made blow-up attractions like the three-story tall Christmas snow globe, and of course, a place for the little ones to have their photo taken with Santa and his reindeer. The event even has its own mascot, Beanie the Bear.

"For me, what I really like about Christmas is not just the shopping but the overall experience, and that's the reason why we have an amazing stage packed with holiday performances," said Lee at a media preview for the event. "It's not just the stage, but also the attractions and activities we offer to people too."

Wilson not only organized the festival, but created a number of the blow-up participatory attractions especially for the event and venue, including a giant walk-through snow globe and a polar bear slide. 

At least four different musical performances will take place each day on the main stage. Performers will include the John Oliver Drumline, Lions Gate Chorus, Lorita Leung Dance Academy, and the Surrey Symphony, among others. 

Classic carnival games like ring toss promise to keep non-shoppers occupied, while vendors selling clothing, food items, board games, toys and more will provide plenty of options for shoppers. (There are even representatives from Ferrari Vancouver if you're feally really generous). Food trucks—10 in total—will be parked outside the venue.

For a small donation, children can create Christmas tree ornaments that will be hung on a large tree in the venue. A portion of the donations will go to benefit Variety - The Children's Charity. 

So far, 25,000 tickets to the event have been sold. Lee is hoping that 90,000 Vancouverites will pass through the doors over the course of the 10-day event, which, depending on its success, will be another one of Vancouver's annual holiday festivals. Find tickets here.