Holiday Season To Kick Off With Tree Lighting

Holiday cheer will be aplenty Sunday afternoon in Tibbits Park and the City is inviting everyone to join in the excitement.

The annual “City Lights Bright Holiday Nights Community Tree Lighting" will take place Dec. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the park at N Broadway and Main St. The event features live music, and ice carving event, winter games and visits from Santa, Frosty and Rudolph. 

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach will light the tree, which was planted in the park last year. Refreshments will also be served.

“(This event) provides an opportunity for everyone in our City to come together to celebrate the festivity of the holiday season,” said Roach. “Like our Fourth of July fireworks event, it’s a terrific evening because it feels like everyone who lives in White Plains is in this one place all having fun and celebrating together.”

Roach also thanked Shop Rite for their continued support of the community event.

The City of White Plains also provided the following information about the holiday tree:

• Historically, the City of White Plains cut down a local tree for use in the City as the Holiday Tree. Residents who have lived here for over 70 years confirm this. The tree was placed in different locations over the years, but since 1978, the year the fountain was put in Tibbits Park by the WP Beautification Foundation, the holiday tree has been erected in Tibbits Park. A lot of effort had traditionally been put into finding the tree, trucking it into the City, erecting it, restoring the property where it came from and mulching it at the end of the season.
• Last year, at Mayor Roach’s request, the City planted a live tree in the Park to be enjoyed year-round. This tree will be decorated every year with festive lights. It is expected to grow approximately one foot each year.
• In an effort to reduce costs and conserve energy during this very BRIGHT season, all of the new lights in Tibbits Park this year (on the tree, skaters, gazebo, etc.) are LED. The expected savings during our 45 days of Holiday Lights is about 12,000 Kilowatts of power and $1,500 dollars, which is approximately the amount of electricity an average family uses for one year.
• The LED lights are more durable, longer lasting and have a shelf life of a minimum of three years, while the majority of the non-LED lights used in the past were unreliable for re-use after one year. This means the City will see additional dollar and energy savings over time in the use of the LED lights.
• In addition to the savings associated with converting to LED lights, the planting of this live tree, which will be enjoyed for years to come, will save the City thousands of dollars every year and is also a welcome addition to Tibbits Park.