Holiday parades and tree lighting events happening in the area
Upcoming lighted parades and tree lighting events and festivals kick off the holidays.
Clarkston/Independence Twp.
• Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade “Gingerbread All The Way”: 6 p.m. Dec. 10, starting at Renaissance High School Community Education Building, 6558 Waldon Road, Clarkston, proceeding to Main St., ending at Calvary Lutheran Church, 6805 Bluegrass Drive, www.teamrush27.net/ community/holiday-lights-parade.
• Magic of Lights drive-through holiday lights display: Nov. 18- Dec. 31, Pine Knob Music Theatre Parking Area, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Twp. Passes must be purchased online at magicoflights.com/ events/clarkston, $20+.
Farmington/Farmington Hills
• 30th Annual Holiday Lights Ceremony: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 outdoors on the Farmington Hills City Hall campus, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road on the southwest corner of Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills. Trees at City Hall will be illuminated along with a 20-foot-tall candle. Special guest singers from the Farmington High School Vocal Harmonics will provide holiday entertainment. After the ceremony, families will enjoy a visit from Santa when he arrives on a big red fire truck. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served inside Fire Department Headquarters, located on the City Hall Campus at 31455 W. Eleven Mile Road. For more information, call 248-699-6700.
Holly
• Holly Dickens Festival: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, and noon-5 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 26-Dec. 11, downtown Holly, www.facebook.com/hollydickensfestival.
Lake Orion/Orion Twp.
• Sing & Stroll Tree Lighting is 5-7 p.m. Nov. 17 at Children’s Park, 201 S Broadway St., Lake Orion, Hometown Holidays Carriage Rides are offered, Nov. 17-19, Nov. 25-26, Dec. 2, Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-17, downtownlakeorion.org.
• Canterbury Village Tree Lighting: 5-8 p.m. Nov. 18 at Canterbury Village, 2359 Joslyn Ct., Orion Twp., with pre-activities including: entertainment, live carolers, s’mores, hot cocoa and hot cider stations, outdoor fire pits, holiday shopping, free admission, guests are encouraged to bring donations of boxed breakfast cereals to support The Village Food Pantry, CanterburyVillage.com.
• Lake Orion Lighted Christmas Parade: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 3, downtown Lake Orion, downtownlakeorion.org.
Northville
• “Tree of Teeth” Christmas Tree lighting is 7 p.m. Nov. 16, in front of Preservation Dental, 371 E. Main St., Northville. The lighting will kick off seven weeks of a free holiday light, music display shown nightly from 6-9 p.m. until Jan. 6. The nearly 20-foottall tree is made up of over 1,000 oversized plastic white molars, with more than 1,000 twinkling lights. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with carolers from St. Catherine of Sienna Academy and Our Lady of Victory. Chelsea Kivell of WNIC’S “Jay Towers in the Morning” show of WNIC will turn on the tree lights.
• Holiday Lighted Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony: Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19, downtown Northville, tree lighting at 8 p.m. in Town Square, hosted by the Northville Chamber of Commerce, www.northville.org.
Pontiac
• Tree of Hope — Pontiac Tree Lighting: 6-7 p.m. Dec. 2, featuring singers, choirs and carolers at Saginaw St. and Huron St., downtown Pontiac, afterglow at First Presbyterian, mainstreetpontiac.org. Also, the Festival of Trees for the public to vote for favorite trees is Dec. 2-30. Christmas trees are “adopted” and decorated at participating merchants throughout downtown Pontiac by nonprofits. The nonprofit with the most votes receives $500, Holidayextravaganza.org.
• 41st Holiday Extravaganza: Saturday, Dec. 3, free Winter FUN Festival is 8:30-10:30 a.m., then parade with floats from The Parade Company, at 11 a.m. downtown Pontiac. Parade route will begin on Cesar E. Chavez Ave at the Oakland Livingston Human (OLHSA) and continue down Saginaw Street, ending at the Pontiac City Square (Lot 9). Santa and Mrs. Claus afterglow after the parade, with Santa’s Workshop, pictures with Santa, music, Gracie the Clown, reindeer, crafts, hot cocoa and food, toy giveaway, free food. Collaboration between Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Waterford, and White Lake, Holidayextravaganza.org.
Rochester/Rochester Hills
• The Big, Bright Light Show: The program begins at 6:20 p.m. Nov. 21, on E. Fourth Street, with the Big, Bright Light Show debuting at 7 p.m. Children can visit with Santa from 7:15- 9 p.m. Also downtown Rochester merchants offer customers Lagniappe (Creole for “a little something extra”), 6-9 p.m., to show appreciation for support through the year. The Big, Bright Light Show will run nightly from 5 p.m.-midnight through Jan. 21, presented by Fox Automotive.
• Light The Village event: Nov. 18 at The Village of Rochester Hills Shopping Center, 104 N Adams Rd, Rochester Hills. The event will feature music including performances by carolers, local area choirs and school bands — beginning at 6 p.m.; arrival by Santa Claus — at 6:45 p.m., fireworks show beginning at 7:15 p.m.; walk-up visits with Santa from 8- 9 p.m., food trucks, stilt walkers and jugglers, arts and crafts activities at the outdoor shopping center. Free shuttle service from Adams High School begins at 5:30 p.m., www.TheVOHR.com.
• Holiday Walk and Winter Wonder Lights: Nov. 25-Dec. 30, on the campus of Oakland University, Meadow Brook Hall, 350 Estate Drive, Rochester. By day, Holiday Walk transports visitors through the historic mansion, gen. Adm. timed tickets are $20 and youth tickets are $7.50, while Winter Wonder Lights is a self-guided outdoor event featuring light displays across the grounds, 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. most evenings Nov. 25-Dec. 30. Adult tickets are $22 and youth tickets are $12 each, www. meadowbrookholidays.com.
Troy
• City of Troy Christmas Tree Lighting: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Veterans Plaza — the south entrance of City Hall, 500 W. Big Beaver, Troy. The event features the Troy High Colts Drumline, Athens High Concert and Treble Choirs, and hot cocoa and Timbits from Tim Hortons Troy, sponsored by Troy Auto Care/ Troy Auto & Truck Center. Santa will visit with children under a tent on the north side of city hall immediately following the Christmas tree lighting.
• Holiday Lights Contest and Tour: The City of Troy is accepting nominations for the Holiday Lights Contest open to Troy residents, including previous winners. Nominations are due Dec. 5, via email to holidaylights@troymi.gov and should include a photo (small file size jpg) of the home, the home’s address, and name of the homeowner (if possible). Decorations must be visible from the roadway. Contest participants will be included in the city’s interactive Holiday Lights Tour Map, online at troymi.gov/holidaylights.
Waterford Twp.
• Holiday Hoopla and Tree Lighting: 3-6 p.m. Dec. 10, at Waterford Township Hall, 5200 Civic Center Drive, Waterford Twp., crafts, reindeer visit, cookie decorating, photo opportunity with Santa. tree lighting is at 5:40 p.m., Waterford Parks and Recreation, www.waterfordmi. gov/parks.