Excitement builds for Surrey Tree Lighting Festival at new City Hall Plaza

 

SURREY, BC – The City of Surrey’s annual Tree Lighting Festival, presented by Coast Capital Savings, will take place on Saturday, November 22 at City Hall Plaza; this year’s festival welcomes headliner, Alyssa Reid.

“The annual lighting of the Christmas tree has become a holiday tradition for Surrey,” said Mayor Dianne Watts. “It is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the spirit of the season. We have programmed the event with families in mind, and this year will not disappoint with top notch entertainment, great family activities, and of course, the beautiful Christmas tree.”

New for 2014, the event will be held at the new City Hall Plaza with a satellite location at nearby Central City Mall. Holiday celebrations start at 11am at Central City Mall with Santa’s arrival an hour later. The rest of the festivities at City Hall will kick off at noon and go until 8pm, with the tree lighting at 6:30pm. Free family activities will include: Letters to Santa Station, Kids World, Story Time Igloo, life-sized snow globe, road hockey, and food trucks, plus photos with Santa inside Central City Mall. Visitors are encouraged to bring a can of food for the Surrey Food Bank or a donation for the Surrey Christmas Bureau.

Alyssa Reid’s highenergy club beats and soaring balladry show the diversity, depth and breadth of an amazing 18 yearold recording artist. She is fast becoming a musical force to be reckoned with, garnering hundreds of thousands of YouTube views and national airplay with every single.

Newly inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Fred Penner is a gentle giant with the undeniable ability to make you feel good about yourself.  A two-time Juno award winner and member of the Order of Canada, Fred Penner’s songs are now multi-generational. 

Other performers include Treehouse TV stars, Bobs n’ Lolo, Peak Performance finalists ‘The Tourist Company’, Praise Dance Team, Top Line Vocal Collective, Sweet Soul Gospel Choir and many more.

 

“Everyone looks forward to the Tree Lighting Festival as it marks the unofficial start to the holiday season,” said Councillor Linda Hepner, Chair of the City’s Parks, Recreation & Sport Tourism Committee. “We thank all our generous sponsors, especially presenting sponsor, Coast Capital Savings. With their support we are able to create these outstanding family events in Surrey.”

 

“We always look forward to the annual Surrey Tree Lighting event. It is one of the ways Coast Capital Savings is helping to build a richer future for youth in our communities,” says Wendy Lachance, Director, Community Leadership, Coast Capital Savings. “Not only does the festival bring the Surrey community together to celebrate the season, it offers the Coast Capital Savings Youth Team the opportunity to give back to the community and use their leadership skills to engage young people and their families in a fun inclusive event. Kudos to the City of Surrey on their continued commitment to building a strong community connection for all of us who call this wonderful city home.”

 

Visit www.surrey.ca/treelighting for more information.