Jack London Square Lights Its Christmas Tree Tonight

From a Jack London Square press release:

Jack London Square kicks off the wonder of the holidays with its annual tree lighting event tonight from 5 to 7 pm.

The Square’s yearly holiday transformation will come complete with live grazing reindeer, snow flurries, musical performances, a holiday pop‐up craft fair, a dance number by the popular world‐traveling Tap‐Dancing Christmas Trees, and of course, visits with Santa.

The star attraction of the evening will be the 57‐foot tall Mount Shasta fir tree, decorated with more than 5,000 sparkling lights.

Highlights of the evening include performances by Radio Disney star Amber Lily, pop sensation Emme, and rising starJeremy Thurber, plus a performance by the Jamaica Youth Heights Marching Band.

The tree lighting ceremony will include an introduction of.Miss California 2012, plus two members from the 2012 US Olympic rowing team, Ken Jurkowski and Oakland resident Julie Nichols. Officials from the City of Oakland and Port of Oakland will light the tree.

Snow flurries will spout 15 to 20 feet in the air atop life‐sized snowmen located throughout the Square. (The snowmen will remain at Jack London Square through the month of December, with daily snow flurries each hour from 5 to 9 p.m.).

Visitors will also have the chance to pet and feed two live reindeer in the petting arena and, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm, they can pose for photos with Santa, who will be stationed at the Bay Voyager boat tour offices (423 Water St.).

Visitors will also have the chance to meet and greet a collection of costumed characters (Curious George, Garfield, the Care Bears and more) around the Square. The Oakland Ballet will host a dress‐up station for kids featuring costumes from this year’s performance of The Nutcracker.

Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to preview a parade float from Saturday’s 13th Annual America’s Children’s Holiday Parade.

As part of the event, Jack London Square is hosting a canned food drive for the Alameda County Community Food Bank and a Toys for Tots toy drive for the City of Oakland to support families in need. Visitors are encouraged to bringa can of food or a toy to donate.

Visitors can support local merchants by shopping the East Bay nonprofit Wardrobe for Opportunity’s “Holiday PopUp!” shopping event in the Jack London Square Pavilion from 5 to 9 pm. Visitors can purchase holiday gifts from a collection of Oakland's local purveyors, including fashion pieces for men and women, accessories, kids' items,home decor, local art and more.

The festivities continue on the evening of Saturday, December 1, with the Encinal Yacht Club’s 36th annual Lighted Yacht Parade on the Jack London Square waterfront, featuring a procession of festively lit and decorated boats, benefitting the Alameda County Community Food Bank and Oakland Firefighters' Random Acts organization.

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