TACOMA, Wash. – Tacoma’s annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, marking the official start of the holiday season, is set for Sunday, November 27 at 4 pm at the Pantages Theater at South 9th Street and Broadway Plaza. A full schedule of events begins at 2 pm with the Tacoma Concert Band performance of Sound the Bells. Tickets for the performance are available at ticketmaster.com. Tickets for guests 18 and under are free and available at the Pantages Theater Box Office. The tree lighting ceremony and community open house in the Pantages lobby are free to the public and tickets are not required.
The community open house begins in the Pantages lobby at 4 pm with performances by Tacoma’s Resident Arts Organizations, an opportunity to visit with Santa Claus, holiday storytelling, cookies from Corina Bakery, complimentary hot beverages, and a performance from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 56th Army America’s First Corps Band. Remarks will be made by Mayor Victoria Woodards (City of Tacoma), Brigadier General Martine Kidd (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), David Schroedel (Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce), and Lynn Carlotto (Tacoma City Theaters/ASM Global). The open house is sponsored, in part, by KNKX, with station personality Paige Hansen acting as emcee.
Resident Arts Organizations performing at the open house include Northwest Sinfonietta, Puget Sound Revels, Symphony Tacoma, Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma Concert Band, Tacoma Opera, and the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association. Representatives from these organizations, along with Tacoma Arts Live, will be in the Pantages lobby to greet guests. Following the open house and program, Mayor Woodards and Santa Claus will light the holiday tree at 6 pm.
“The tree lighting is a magical day for all of us here. Welcoming the community to the Theater District is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season! This is the busiest and most joyful time of the year in our theaters,” stated Lynn Carlotto, Tacoma City Theaters’ General Manager. “With the wonderful diverse event activity, we are eagerly anticipating seeing community members of all ages at the Tacoma City Theaters this holiday season.”
The tree lighting kicks off Tacoma City Theaters’ busiest time of the year with a wide variety of entertainment on the three stages in December. These events include Symphony Tacoma’s Holiday Favorites, Puget Sound Revels’ The Midwinter Revels: A Celebration of the Winter Solstice, God is a Scottish Drag Queen presented by Tacoma Arts Live, Seattle Men’s Chorus’ Holiday Fa-la-la-liday, the Banff Mountain Film Festival, and Tacoma City Ballet’s Nutcracker, this year presenting four performances over two consecutive weekends.
On November 30, the Tacoma City Theaters will present another free holiday event in conjunction with the Downtown Tacoma Partnership’s Holiday Haul Crawl . From 4 to 6 pm, the Pantages Theater lobby will be open, and a professional photographer will be on-hand to take photos in the festively decorated lobby, decked out in sparkling lights and holiday trees. These photographs will be available following the event at no cost to participants.
The Pantages Theater will again be the site for the city’s traditional lighting of the Menorah. With the start of Hannukah on December 18, this year’s Menorah lighting will take place in mid-December. Watch for more details on this celebration.
First celebrated in 1945, the Holiday Tree Lighting inspires people everywhere to take time to enjoy cherished traditions and memories made with family and friends during the holiday season.
The 50’ Douglas fir tree is donated by Skyline Presbyterian Church and decorated over several days with more than 250’ of lights and traditional holiday décor. The holiday tree site is free to visit and will be open to the public from November 27 through January 1, 2023.
ABOUT TACOMA CITY THEATERS: Tacoma City Theaters is home to the historic Pantages Theater, Rialto Theater, and Theater on the Square. All three venues host live entertainment ranging from concerts and comedy to movie showings, original theater and spoken word. Tacoma City Theaters is home to eight Resident Arts Organizations, enriching the community with presentations of a diverse schedule of performances, special events, and educational programs. These organizations include Northwest Sinfonietta, Puget Sound Revels, Symphony Tacoma, Tacoma Arts Live, Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma Concert Band, Tacoma Opera, and Tacoma Youth Symphony Association. The theaters also host workshops for the Tacoma School of the Arts and performances by internationally touring artists and productions. (tacomacitytheaters.org)
ABOUT ASM GLOBAL: ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management – delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. (asmglobal.com)
ABOUT TACOMA VENUES & EVENTS: The City of Tacoma enhances the quality of life for the community and drives economic vitality through its premier venues and diverse entertainment opportunities. Tacoma Venues & Events manages these renowned venues which include the Tacoma Dome, one of the world’s largest wood domed structures with flexible seating configurations ranging from 5,000-21,000; the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, artful and modern and its trademark glass walls and 119,000 square feet of event space; Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers; and the historic Pantages and Rialto Theaters, and Theater on the Square. The department includes special events and film permitting. (tacomavenues.org)
– Tacoma City Theaters
