Lighting of the Trees Ceremony on Fayetteville Street
Jayne Kirkpatrick, Director, Public Affairs
Prepared by: David Blount, Public Affairs Specialist
For more information: Contact Michelle Boyette, Special Events Coordinator, 831-6011
FAYETTEVILLE STREET LIGHTING TO BE HELD DEC. 8
The start of the holiday season is often marked by a family effort in decorating the home. Lights are strung and trees are decorated and wreaths are hung. On Friday, Dec. 8, The public is invited to join in the Raleigh family’s decorating of its main street.
From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., 14 Raleigh artists will be working sections of 18-inch-by-48-inch vinyl, each designing and painting the sections with an image of a seasonal angel in the spirit of the season. Tents will be in place and residents are encouraged to watch the creative process. After 2 p.m., the panels will be hung from the lamp posts along Fayetteville Street.
At 5 p.m., residents are encouraged to join Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker in the first-ever holiday lighting of Fayetteville Street. In a combined effort between the City of Raleigh and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, thousands of white lights will be placed in the 64 trees lining Fayetteville Street. Carriage rides will be available and holiday carolers will be performing.
“We hope this is something that can become an annual event,” said Tracey Lovejoy, vice-president of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. “Since Fayetteville Street was reopened to traffic, it really has become Raleigh’s ‘Main Street’. We had tremendous success with the Christmas parade this year and we’re looking forward to making the street beautiful for the holiday season.”
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