SAN ANTONIO – A 50-foot Nordmann Fir Christmas tree will light up on Friday night to help kick off the holiday season in downtown San Antonio.
The 39th annual H-E-B Christmas Tree Lighting at Travis Park will take place on Friday, and festivities will be open to the public at 4 p.m. The tree will be illuminated at 6:20 p.m.
The tree is a Christmas gift to the city from the San Antonio-based grocer, which also commits more than $250,000 every year for the transportation, decoration and lighting of the giant tree.
The tree, which was sourced from Salem, Oregon, was adorned with 10,000 dazzling multicolored lights and dozens of colorful handmade ornaments.
There will also be holiday crafts, free giveaways, letters to Santa and live music, plus a free movie screening of “The Grinch” will start at 7 p.m.
H-E-B will provide free VIA bus rides to the tree lighting event as well as free ice skating to guests from 4-5:30 p.m.
Santa Claus will make a special visit to the park during the celebration.
Friday is the city’s official start to the holiday season, with the 42nd annual Ford Holiday River Parade also taking place on the River Walk. The parade starts at 6 p.m. at the Tobin Center.
The new attraction, Holidays on Houston, also kicks off on Friday. Through Jan. 2, Houston Street between Legacy Park and Alamo Street will be dazzled with holiday lights and oversized ornaments and wreaths.