Syracuse, NY – Snowflakes filled the sky on Friday night as thousands of people gathered in Clinton Square for the city’s annual Christmas tree lights.
Those in attendance could see Santa and Mrs. Claus taking a lap around the ice rink in an SUV and a giant ice skating penguin. A choir from Onondaga Hill Middle School also performed during the ceremony.
The celebration, which included live Christmas music by the Syracuse-based Brownskin Band, ended with Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens leading a countdown to light the 12-meter-high Christmas tree.
Families also gathered for photos in front of the Christmas tree, which was wrapped in colored lights and had a huge white star on top.
For many, like Michael Zachery and his wife, Bianca, coming to Clinton Square for tree lighting is a family tradition.
“We’ve been coming here to light the trees since my oldest was little,” said Michael Zachary, a Syracuse native with six children.
For the family of longtime Syracuse Parks Department employee Bill Winslow Sr., who died of Covid-19 last December, the return of the personal tree lighting ceremony was another opportunity to remember and honor their loved one. Last year’s personal tree lighting was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before the city switched to a fake Christmas tree in 2019, Winslow was responsible for selecting the tree and setting it up and decorating it in Clinton Square each year, his family said. Winslow worked for the city for over 35 years, they said.
“It’s nice to see everyone here,” said Chris Bell, Winslow’s daughter. “I have the feeling that everything is going back to normal.”
According to Post-Standard Archives, the city’s tree-lighting ceremony dates back to at least 1914 when a Parks Department crew sled a 12-meter-tall tree to what is now known as Columbus Circle.
Temperatures in Syracuse dropped to the low 30s on Friday night, with a wind chill in the low 20s, according to the National Weather Service. The cold didn’t stop Angelo Greco from Solvay and her daughter from taking part in the tree lighting.
“My daughter hasn’t been in a couple of years,” said Greco. “The cold didn’t matter to us.”
A video of the tree lighting will be available December 8th on SyracuseTreeLighting.com.
“After everything our community has experienced over the past year, we are thrilled to return to a personal ‘Home for the Holidays’ celebration that embodies the true Christmas spirit of Syracuse and everything that we represent here in our great city”, said Walsh.
Author James McClendon covers breaking news, crime, and public safety. Do you have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or [email protected].
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