East Lansing to Kick Off Holiday Season with Tree Lighting

Look out Rockefeller Center…East Lansing is in the tree lighting game. 

On Saturday, the city will hold a tree lighting ceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. in the downtown Ann Street Plaza. Newly selected Mayor Erik Altmann will push the ceremonial lever at 6:00 p.m., according to Community and Economic Development Specialist Matt Apostle.

The 25-foot-tall tree has been decorated with 700 feet of LED colored lights and more than 50 large baubles. The ceremonial lever that will light the tree was designed by Scouts from East Lansing’s Troop 2.

Park Maintenance Lead Worker Derrick Dale told ELi about the tree’s origin story. He said this is the fourth year the city has put up a lit tree downtown, but the first time it looked for a tree outside of East Lansing’s reserves.

“For the past three years we’ve harvested them from a lot within the city,” he said, “but they’ve all grown so big, and they’ve all been touching each other, so they all have bare sides to them. Yeah. So we harvested everything we could possibly use on our own lots.”

The white fir tree was donated by Peterson’s Tree Farm in Webberville.

It was decorated by Department of Public Works employees and Dale said the team is proud of their work.

“This is a big project,” he said, “and all the decorating is a focal point of ours. It’s a growing tradition and suggestions and ideas are always welcome from the community because we’re still working through what the tree and the ceremony will look like each year.”

He said the team was split on whether a topper should adorn the tree so they went without this year.

In addition to the lighting, there will be many family-friendly activities happening downtown. Horse and pony rides will be available and Foster Coffee is providing free hot chocolate and coffee while supplies last. MSU Royal Encounters, a student-run organization, will dress as characters from Disney’s Frozen movie franchise, according to a press release issued about the event.

Apostle said some downtown restaurants are offering specials for those attending the tree lighting, including HopCat and Beggar’s Banquet.