The City of Piedmont and the Piedmont Beautification Foundation invite community members to kick off the holiday season on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:00 p.m. at “Lights Up! A New Community Holiday Lighting Celebration” in front of Piedmont Community Hall.
This event represents an expansion and evolution of Piedmont’s beloved holiday tree lighting ceremony, which dates back to 1969. Longstanding traditions, including the illumination of the 80-foot redwood tree and a cappella serenades by Piedmont High School’s Troubadours will continue, enhanced this year by new additions intended to create a more inclusive and welcoming event that celebrates the diversity of our community.
In the depths of winter, celebrations centered around light are common to cultures across the globe. Building on this theme, Lights Up! will include new lighting around the park, the lighting of a menorah concurrently with the tree, and an interactive activity hosted by Piedmont’s Girl Scouts inviting attendees to document how they plan to share their own inner light in the new year.
Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area will provide a recipient to flip the switch for the lights. Piedmont Boy Scouts will serve warm apple cider and hot cocoa generously provided by Piedmont Grocery and Heafey Baum Group, respectively, while Chabad Oakland will add to the festivities this year with a latke station. The Piedmont Recreation Department will provide a variety of activities to entertain young children.
Per tradition, Santa Claus will be available for photos inside Community Hall, and children are invited to write letters to Santa and deposit them in a special mailbox addressed to North Pole. Santa will read every letter. Children with special needs will be able to see Santa starting at 6:00 pm.
Lights Up! will take place rain or shine.
The Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) obtains, maintains, installs, and removes the colorful LED lights that adorn the illuminated tree each year. Throughout the year, PBF partners with the City to provide research and funding for projects that increase safety, beauty, and function of Piedmont’s extensive and unique public facilities. Community members can support these efforts by donating HERE. A donation to PBF this
time of year provides an opportunity to extend warm wishes to friends and neighbors as part of the group’s 54th Annual Holiday Greeting Campaign by way of names of donors being listed in the Post and the Exedra.
For questions regarding Lights Up! or Piedmont Beautification Foundation’s work, contact Barbara Love at pbf.piedmont@gmail.com. For general questions about the City’s winter holiday events, including Lights Up!, Santa’s Workshop (Dec. 10), Donuts & Dreidels (Dec. 18), and Noon Year’s Eve (Dec. 31), contact City of Piedmont Recreation Director Chelle Putzer at cputzer@piedmont.ca.gov.