Kicking off a quarter century of Downtown in December
(OKLAHOMA CITY) – The Oklahoma City Tree Lighting Festival presented by Global Payments will return on Thursday, November 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Bricktown as the official kickoff of Downtown in December presented by Devon. This free community event invites the public to join Mayor David Holt for a family-friendly evening of holiday festivities including diverse performances highlighting Oklahoma City’s many cultures and traditions.
“Our annual tree lighting is one of our city’s favorite traditions, and we welcome all residents to join us as we celebrate the start of another holiday season!” said Mayor David Holt.
The Oklahoma City Tree Lighting Festival, now in its 25th year, will take place in Bricktown on the Mickey Mantle Plaza of the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The main attraction of the evening is the countdown to the lighting of the Bricktown Christmas Tree powered by OG&E by Mayor Holt followed by a showcase of diverse holiday and cultural performances on the main stage on Mickey Mantle Dr.
The Bricktown Christmas Tree will be lit at approximately 6 p.m., and performances will continue until 7:30 p.m. with Cindy Scarberry as emcee and music from the Oklahoma Opry House Band. Throughout the evening, attendees will see performances from local favorites, including Oklahoma City Ballet, Jabee, Hưng Việt Drum Show and Lion Dancers, Ballet Folklorico Yetzali, RACE Dance Collective, and Lyric Theatre’s Christmas Carol cast.
The 25th anniversary Oklahoma City Tree Lighting Festival will feature a new activation: Restaurant Row presented by Robinson Park. Here, attendees can sample complimentary bites from ten downtown businesses, including Brickopolis, Harkins Theatre, McNellie’s Pub, Melting Pot, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Pearl’s Crabtown, Rodizio Grill Tayta Latin Cuisine, and Tiff’s Treats. With a menu ranging from chocolate fondue to pub curry, attendees can enjoy classic dishes while finding new favorites.
The event will feature a variety of free activities, including Photos with Santa provided by Inasmuch Foundation, an interactive balloon snow globe, aerial performances, face painting, and balloon art. Families are invited to the Letters to Santa station sponsored by Communication Federal Credit Union, where children can write letters to Santa, drop them in the North Pole mailbox, and decorate downtown-themed holiday postcards to take home or mail. Additional family-friendly programming includes a make-and-take ornament station, appearances by the Oklahoma City Thunder entertainers and the Thunder Bolt Bus.
Items available for purchase include hot chocolate and coffee from Junction Coffee, as well as glow accessories and wrapping paper from The Curbside Chronicle. The Bricktown Christmas Tree will remain on display through New Year’s Day.
Additional support for the Bricktown Christmas Tree and the Oklahoma City Tree Lighting Festival provided by Global Payments, Toucan Productions, OG&E, Robinson Park, Bricktown Association, Communication Federal Credit Union, Inasmuch Foundation, OKC Thunder, BancFirst, MidFirst Bank, Gipson Design, Stride Bank, Bank of Oklahoma, Centennial Landscaping, TTCU Federal Credit Union, OKC Comets, Painted Door Gift Boutique, and Arts Council OKC Art Moves. For more information, visit DowntownInDecember.com.