If only for a half-hour, Pine Bluff’s Civic Center borrowed a page from New York’s Rockefeller Plaza to ring in the holiday spirit.
Pine Bluff turned on the lights to its own downtown Tannenbaum on Sunday evening during a ceremony at the bench area facing Eighth Avenue. The fourth annual Christmas tree lighting is part of Go Forward Pine Bluff’s Mistletoe Magic holiday events, with a Christmas parade to take over Main Street starting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
The moment the lights turn on doesn’t get old for New Life Church Pastor Matt Mosler, a grandfather of two.
“This is the beautiful thing about living in Pine Bluff, for the whole community to come together and celebrate as a community and celebrate Christmas,” he said. “This is what community is all about.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Mosler also got into the musical spirit, singing along with the Powerhouse of Friendship Elementary choir, who performed pieces such as “Where Are You, Christmas?” and “O Holy Night.”
“This is just great,” Mosler said. “This is what we love about Pine Bluff. It’s just fun. It’s a great place to live.”
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington performed her traditional rendition of “Jingle Bells” with the young girls’ help before counting from 10 to see the giant fir tree — already decked with red balls — light up downtown.
“After Thanksgiving and the beautiful Thanksgiving season everybody has experienced, we think there is no better way to kick the Christmas season off than with a joyous occasion in our Christmas tree lighting in the beautiful city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas,” Washington said. “We’re so pleased with the turnout we’ve had this evening, and most especially with the participation we had of our young people.”
This was the second year the lighting was held at the Civic Center. The first two years, it was located at the Sixth Avenue Plaza, which is undergoing renovation.
“I think it’s a very appropriate spot,” Washington said of the Civic Center. “It’s been a beautiful setting.”
Before sundown, the west side of the Civic Center was lined with children enjoying inflatable stations and checking out Corvettes.
KATV “Daybreak” anchor Ryan Houston, a Pine Bluff native, emceed the lighting ceremony. Locals also dropped off toys to representatives from the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeast Arkansas.
A young girl poses for a photo with Santa Claus. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Members of the Powerhouse of Friendship Elementary Choir perform “Where Are You, Christmas?” on the steps of the Pine Bluff Civic Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Brooklyn Harris poses next to Christmas Tree lighting emcee Ryan Houston of KATV’s “Daybreak”. (Special to The Commercial/Barbara Dunn)