Christmas Trees Getting Turned On

Fri., Nov. 27, 1998

B y tonight, it’ll seem a lot more like Christmas all over the region; Christmas tree lights will be brightening up the night skies in both downtown Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

The annual Downtown Spokane Treelighting Ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. today at the intersection of Wall Street and Spokane Falls Boulevard.

At the appointed time, the lights on the 40-foot Christmas tree in Riverfront Park will be turned on. Men in the Making will provide music for sing-alongs and the Spokane Children’s Theatre cast of the musical “Scrooge” will perform.

But the festivities begin long before the tree lights are turned on. Angels with Attitude will perform from 1 to 2 p.m. at the STA Plaza downtown. Maury the Moose and his furry friends will be on the street level of the Crescent Court, and two horse-drawn carriages will give rides through downtown Spokane between 3 and 8 p.m. The carriage rides will be available 3-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas.

The Reindeer Express with live reindeer will be ready for all the children from 1 to 5 p.m. on the south edge of Riverfront Park between Howard and Wall streets. Bring a camera and you can take photos of your children with the reindeer.

In Coeur d’Alene, the tree-lighting festivities include a parade of lighted floats and marching bands at 5 p.m. through downtown. The tree lighting ceremony is at 5:45 and that will be followed by a fireworks and laser light display over Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Following the parade and tree-lighting, there will be holiday music on the grounds of the Coeur d’Alene Resort and the lights will be turned on in 14 displays at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. Viewing of the golf course displays throughout the month is from a fleet of cruise boats and the cruise includes a fireworks display. The boat trip is $12, free to children 12 and younger. For information about the cruises, call the Coeur d’Alene Resort or Coeur d’Alene Inn, (877) 677-4653 or (208) 664-7268.

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Christmas Trees Getting Turned On

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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