
Marquette, MI – November 28, 2017 – The Christmas Spirit was in the air tonight as we joined Marquette Township for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Gathering at the Westwood Mall Parking lot, community members chimed in to sing some Christmas carol favorites. The St. Christopher Carolers started off the night. Thank you for singing carols to the township’s local singer/composer Dan Adamini from St. Christopher’s Church.
After hearing reports of the Grinch snooping around at BIGGBY Coffee, that sneaky green Christmas thief made his way down the hill and tried to stop us from lighting the tree. He snuck through the crowd and got pretty close to the tree before the Sheriff’s Department grabbed the Grinch and arrested him to save Christmas – just in time too, Santa was arriving!
Santa rode in on a township fire truck to make a grand entrance. Wandering through the parking lot, Mr. Claus said “Hello” to some little boys and girls before making his way to the Great Lakes Radio Stage. With the evil Grinch behind bars, Santa started the count down to flip the switch and light the tree. When the count down reached zero, the switch powered on and we lit the Marquette Charter Township’s biggest tree yet! The crowd watched the lights sparkle in the darkness on the 35 foot tree before turning to head inside the Westwood Mall, where the holiday cheer continued!

New Attitudes Dance Studio was already in the mall ready to perform their dance routines with cookies and juice laid out from Super One Foods and coffee from BIGGBY. The mall was also filled on a number of other attractions like the UPAWS Apparel Store, a display from the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, and face painting.
We give thanks to Great Lakes Radio, Honor Credit Union, BIGGBY COFFEE, Westwood Mall, Super One Foods, New Attitudes, UPAWS, Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, the Marquette Township Business Association and of course, everyone from Marquette Charter Township for another great Catch the Christmas Spirit Tree Lighting Ceremony. We also need to credit Dave & Barbara Wiegand for donating the beautiful the township tree. And a big thank you to Miller Apple L.P owner Martha Sanford, Director of Operations Jim Price, Area Director Mitch Ohman, and the entire local team at Applebee’s for allowing us parking lot space to have about 1,000 people from our area out to enjoy Christmas carols and see the Grinch and Santa at the township tree lighting.
The Township events committee members Pete LaRue, Randy Girard, Barb Wiegand, Kate Houtz and Todd Noordyk wish you a very Merry Christmas.
Listen to audio from morning, afternoon, and evening just before the Christmas Tree Lighting:
- Todd says hello from the Westwood Mall
- The crowd could hardly wait for the tree to be lit
- 101.9 Sunny FM was live at the Westwood Mall
- Todd bringing you all the Christmas revelry
- Getting set to light the tree
- Todd gets you in the Christmas spirit live from the tree lighting

- Many local businesses helped to make the event a success
- Everybody’s having a great time
- Christmas is in the air
- Todd spreading Christmas cheer
- The joy of the season is all around
- Santa was there to help light the tree
- All in attendance had a great time
- The tree was lit and Santa stuck around to have some holiday fun
- The kids got pictures with Santa
- Todd says farewell from the Marquette Township Tree Lighting
We had a great crowd this evening.
The parking lot was packed and the warmer weather definitely helped!
The Grinch was sneaking around!
Santa arrived on the fire truck.
Great crowd welcoming Santa.
They love seeing Santa!
Santa getting ready to flip the switch.
3.2.1!
It's the biggest try we have had yet.
That star sure is bright.
Santa singling along to some Christmas songs.
Thanks Santa!
We were floored by the number of people who came out this evening.
Thanks to Sunny.FM for providing the stage.
They did a great job lighting that tree.
Santa saying hello to one of the little girls in the crowd.
Santa greeting visitors.
Catch the Christmas Spirit with the Marquette Township!
The crowd in the mall was massive!
People were checking out the UPAWS Apparel store.
Kids got adorable Christmas themed face paintings
The Marquette Chamber Township members were out tonight serving cookies and juice from Super One Foods.
Look at those delicious cookies!
What a great evening at the Westwood Mall.
BIGGBY Coffee had coffee and hot chocolate for guests.
This little boy and his puppy were so cute with Santa!
The Westwood Mall looks great in Christmas Themed stuff!
Telling Santa what she wants for Christmas.
The line was almost all the way to the front of the malL!
This year the police put the Grinch in jail at the Mall!
Thanks to everyone who came out tonight to support the tree lighting.
Nicely dressed young man meeting Santa.
More face painting!
This little boy had to make sure everything was just right.
Look at that gorgeous family with Santa.
Thanks to New Attitudes for giving us a new highlight this year!
The dancers did a great job with their performances.
They had some really good moves.
Dancers of all ages attended.
Nice splits!
This little guy stole the show.
The girls danced to modern pop and Christmas songs!
The girls did a great job.
New Attitudes performed a number of routines for us.
Great job ladies.
The crowd was loving the dancers!
Honor Credit Union was giving away popcorn.
Santa was having a great time talking to all of these kids.
Some live music in the mall from one of the dancers.
The moon was shining as bright as the star on top of the tree!
Todd Noordyk chatting with Lyn Durant of Marquette Township.