The holiday season will be a little brighter on Friday when the city’s official Christmas tree lights up for the first time at Campus Martius Park in the heart of downtown Detroit. WXYZ will broadcast complete coverage of the event during a live special, “Light Up the Season,” from 7- 8 p.m.
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7 Action News anchors Dave LewAllen and Carolyn Clifford will host the program, along with 7 Action News anchors Glenda Lewis and Alan Campbell. The show will include musical performances from Detroit’s own gospel legend Ce Ce Winans along with the jazz sounds of Ben Sharkey and the Woodward Horns. U.S. Olympic figure skating duo Alex and Maia Shibutani will perform on the rink at Campus Martius during the show. The celebration will also include live shots of the activities at Detroit’s Beacon Park.
“We are pleased to share this great holiday celebration with people across Metro Detroit,” said Mike Murri, WXYZ and WMYD vice president and general manager. “The Christmas tree at Campus Martius Park has become the centerpiece for holiday celebrations in Detroit. We’re proud to share the beauty of our great city and partner with the Downtown Detroit Partnership and the DTE Energy Foundation for this wonderful holiday tradition.”
This is the 15th year for the Downtown Detroit Partnership’s annual tree lighting ceremony. The centerpiece of this year’s event is a 60-foot Norway spruce tree that was donated by a family in Plymouth, Michigan. The tree will be decked out with more than 19,000 colored lights and ornaments.
WXYZ will begin live coverage on Friday in “The NOW” at 4 p.m. 7 Action News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. will capture all the excitement leading up to the big moment, including a special interview with Santa. “Light Up the Season,” will be streamed live on wxyz.com and on the WXYZ Facebook page.
