It might not feel like the middle of November, but the holiday season is about to kick off this Friday, November 18. Campus Martius Park will be filled with holiday cheer for the 13th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.
The 60 foot Norway Spruce was a gift to the city of Detroit from DTE Energy. The tree made it’s long journey from Cadillac, Michigan and was erected on November 2.
For the past few weeks workers have been adorning the tree with over 19,000 energy efficient multicolored lights.
“The DTE Energy Foundation presentation of the holiday tree to the city of Detroit – and to all the residents and visitors who come out to enjoy its beauty – has become a wonderful tradition for us,” said Faye Nelson, vice president, DTE Energy, and board chair and president of the DTE Energy Foundation. “It’s one of the special ways we show our appreciation to the communities we serve, helping thousands of families create memories that will last a lifetime.”
There is always a ton of great entertainment during the evening of the tree lighting ceremony. This year is no different.
The musical headliner for the evening will be Grammy Award Winner, Aaron Neville. Neville is a New Orleans native, and has been a recording artist for 56 years. His latest album is called Apache and it was released in July of this year.
For those who enjoy watching ice skating, they will get the opportunity to see Olympic Gold Medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform on the ice.
There are some definite traditions that happen every year during the tree lighting ceremony. The giant Salvation Army Kettle is back, as are the horse drawn carriages. Children will also have the opportunity to visit with Santa. So make sure they have their lists ready for the man in red.
The Salvation Army will have a tent set up that will be filled with family friendly things to do.
If you need a warm beverage DTE Energy Foundation will be providing free hot chocolate, and Ikea will be passing out free cinnamon rolls.
And, of course, what kind of event would this be without a ton of food trucks?
There will also be the big tent that has food, local craft beers, and cocktails. Lucy’s Brown Seville a Detroit-based band will be performing as well. It is $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.
If I’ve piqued your interest about this years tree lighting ceremony here are the details.
The party starts at 5:00 p.m, this is the perfect time to try and find a good spot to watch the tree lighting. Considering it will be unseasonably warm there is a chance that it will be really crowded. You might want to get there earlier than 5.
The Salvation Army Kettle will be lit at 6:00 p.m.
The entertainment will start at 6:15 p.m.
The tree will be lit at 7:45 p.m.
The skating rink will open to the public at 9:00 p.m.
The tree lighting ceremony is free to attend, but if you want to have preferred seats, those will be $10 per person. It looks like the weather is going to be much warmer than in previous years.
If you can’t make it downtown, you will also have the opportunity to watch the tree lighting on WXYZ channel 7. The station will be broadcasting it from 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM. You will also be able to live stream it on the WXYZ website.
Campus Martius is located at 800 Woodward Avenue in Detroit.