The holidays are here! Downtown Dayton’s Christmas tree arrives

The tree will be the centerpiece of the Dayton Holiday Festival

A sure sign that the holiday season has arrived (or is about to) is the arrival of downtown Dayton’s majestic holiday tree.

The tree that will be the centerpiece of the annual Grand Illumination on Nov. 23 has just arrived at Courthouse Square, according to the downtown Dayton partnership.

>> 7 of our favorite Dayton holiday traditions

Each year a donated tree is decorated on Courthouse Square at Main and Third streets with more than 50,000 lights. The tree-lighting ceremony is part of the Dayton Holiday Festival the day after Thanksgiving, and will take place around 7:45 p.m.

This year’s tree was donated by Dayton resident Barbara Moran and will be delivered by PSC Crane and Rigging.

GRANDE ILLUMINATION TREE LIGHTING 

Watch the holidays light up during Dayton’s traditional tree lighting. At 7:45 p.m. Nov. 23, city officials will throw the switch and approximately 50,000 colored lights will brighten the three-story-tall tree on Courthouse Square.

Immediately following the tree lighting (approximately 8 p.m.), the Children’s Parade will round the corner of Second and Main streets to start its route through downtown, sparkling with more than 100,000 lights. Watch decorative seasonal floats, horses, drill teams and bands, and some special holiday treats. The parade is sponsored by WHIO-TV and will feature meteorologists McCall Vrydaghs and Kirstie Zontini.

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

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