Mayor Pat Sobeski has proclaimed that the City of Woodstock supports Earth Hour 2013. Sobeski is encouraging residents and businesses to power down for one hour between 8:30 and 9:30 pm local time. Businesses are asked to darken their buildings, neon signs and restaurants for the hour tonight. Restaurants can offer candle-lit dinners and fresh "cold" dishes on their menus. Earth Hour was a Sydney, Australia event in 2007. Now in its seventh year, it has grown to a global movement with more than 7000 cities and towns participating worldwide in 152 countries or territories. In 2012, 13-million Canadians turned down their non-essential lighting and electronics in the annual event promoted by World Wildlife Fund. This year, a number of landmarks across the world will dim their lights in support of Earth Hour including the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa and Buckingham Palace.