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
