Vancouver Rotary Foundation hosts massive tree lighting festival
VANCOUVER — You’ve never seen so many people so excited to stand in the rain.
Vancouver’s holiday tree lighting was filled with hundreds of families and friends last night, as the lovely Pacific Northwest weather closed in around them.
Many of them continued to sing, smile and look up in anticipation at the giant Christmas tree in Esther Short Park. They weren’t going to miss Santa. They weren’t going to miss this.
Santa Claus himself waves to children and families at the Vancouver Rotary tree lighting on Black Friday. Photo by Jacob Granneman
This was a night of lights and sharing love with one another. IQ Credit Union made sure everyone had their hot chocolate, while City Harvest Church provided the hot apple cider.
Food trucks had their aromas and children’s choirs had their live music, and the people of Vancouver had a night to remember.
Young children who’s first Christmas event it may have been, sat atop their parents shoulders as the jolly man in the red suit made his debut appearance to light the tree.
When all was said and done, their wasn’t a face in the crowd that didn’t crack a grin at some point.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Clark County.
Hundreds of families and friends came out in the rain to be a part of the Vancouver tree lighting in Esther Short Park. Photo by Jacob GrannemanDarci Andrews from City Harvest Church, serves people hot apple cider during one of the many rainy deluges at the Vancouver tree lighting on Black Friday. Photo by Jacob GrannemanTodd Brooks and Saundra Kamman of Vancouver, enjoy the evening at the Vancouver Rotary tree lighting in downtown Vancouver on Black Friday. Photo by Jacob GrannemanGriffin Stixrud sits atop his mother Casie’s shoulders to watch the tree light up at the Vancouver tree lighting. The event was hosted by area businesses and churches, in the square of Esther Short Park. Photo by Jacob GrannemanDeontae Peracca and his fiance Rylee Zimmerman sing along with the children’s choir as they sing Christmas carols at the Vancouver tree lighting ceremony. Photo by Jacob GrannemanThe student choir from Fruit Valley Elementary, performs Christmas carols for a audience of hundreds at the Vancouver tree lighting. Photo by Jacob GrannemanThroughout the evening of the Vancouver Rotary’s tree lighting in downtown Vancouver, many folks walked from other areas in the city to join the free event. Photo by Jacob GrannemanOne of several food trucks, sells gyros during the Vancouver tree lighting on the evening of Black Friday. Photo by Jacob GrannemanChildren sit on their parents shoulders in an eager attempt to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus as he arrives at the Vancouver tree lighting to light the tree. Photo by Jacob GrannemanLocal band Cooley, headed by lead vocalist David Cooley, played jazz-style Christmas tunes for hundreds of people at the Vancouver tree lighting on Nov. 23. Photo by Jacob GrannemanDespite frequent bouts of heavy rain, hundreds of people remained at the Vancouver tree lighting in Esther Short Park on Black Friday. Photo by Jacob Granneman
