Marietta gets into holiday spirit with Christmas tree lighting
The 22-foot-tall artificial tree was illuminated with 10,000 lights Saturday evening at the end of the Merry-Etta Tree Lighting on the lawn of the Armory on Front Street. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Local children dance to the First Baptist Action Kids and Impact Youth Choir’s entertainment during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening at the Armory on Front Street. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Marietta Mayor Josh Schlicher thanks attendees for coming out to the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Kasandra Ruscitto Pritchett, president of the Marietta Main Street Board of Directors, opens the the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting ceremony Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
One of the entertainers from First Baptist Church is dressed as a Gingerbread Man during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
The Action Kids and Impact Youth Choir from First Baptist Church descend down the stairs during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening at the Armory. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
The 22-foot-tall artificial tree was illuminated with 10,000 lights Saturday evening at the end of the Merry-Etta Tree Lighting on the lawn of the Armory on Front Street. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Local children dance to the First Baptist Action Kids and Impact Youth Choir’s entertainment during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening at the Armory on Front Street. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Marietta Mayor Josh Schlicher thanks attendees for coming out to the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Kasandra Ruscitto Pritchett, president of the Marietta Main Street Board of Directors, opens the the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting ceremony Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
One of the entertainers from First Baptist Church is dressed as a Gingerbread Man during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
The Action Kids and Impact Youth Choir from First Baptist Church descend down the stairs during the City of Merry-etta Tree Lighting Saturday evening at the Armory. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
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MARIETTA -- Marietta Main Street kicked off the city's holiday season by illuminating a tree with 10,000 lights during the City of Merry-etta's Tree Lighting on the Armory lawn Saturday evening.
Kasandra Ruscitto Pritchett, president of the Marietta Main Street Board of Directors, welcomed visitors by explaining the organization's purpose and recognizing the volunteers whose work contributed to bringing events like the tree lighting to life.
"We are an organization of two employees and a group of volunteers that plan, execute, facilitate, fundraise and support all that our organization does," she said.
Pritchett said Main Street has eight committees, including Hometown Holidays, who planned Saturday's lighting.
The 22-foot-tall artificial Christmas tree was purchased from a decor design company in Texas in 2019. The Hometown Holidays committee chair at the time, Debbie Cline, raised the $10,000 from an $8,000 donation from Mr. Bee Potato Chips and $2,000 in anonymous contributions. It was installed with the help of volunteers and Marietta Public Works Foreman Tanner Huffman. Joe Finkel was also named in helping arrange the power supply to the lights.
Pritchett said between the tree lighting, Christmas parade on Nov. 25, Holiday Tree Walk opening Dec. 2 and Santa Houses also on Dec. 2, the 10-member committee would spend a combined 600 to 700 hours preparing Marietta for Christmas.
Marietta Mayor Josh Schlicher thanked the crowd for attending the event.
"This is a good focus for downtown and kicking off the Christmas season," he said.
Huntington Bank handed out cookies from local shop Baked on Maple, and Sips Food Truck provided free hot chocolate.
For entertainment, the Action Kids and Impact Youth Choir from First Baptist Church descended the Armory stairs, with one individual was dressed in a Gingerbread Man suit. They encouraged all the kids in attendance to dance with them while the group performed Christmas classics such as "Jingle Bells," "Frosty the Snowman" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."
"It was perfect," committee member Tim Bonnette said. "The weather was perfect and the kids had a blast,"
"A handful of people put in a lot of work to make this happen," committee member Rick Nicholson said. "I just got started last year and see how much work goes into this.'
Finally, the tree was lit with a crowd countdown from three.
Kristen Hainkel can be reached by email at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com