OAKHURST — The holiday spirit is in the air and ‘tis the season for holiday trees and decorations to start appearing, as crews delivered a 40-foot white fir to its new home in Oakhurst, where it will serve as this year’s community Christmas Tree.
Donated by Sierra Tel, the tree was logged under permit from the Sierra National Forest. The Sierra Tel crew harvested and transported the tree to the traditional spot at Highway 41 and Road 426 at the Talking Bear/Century 21 Ditton Realty Plaza.
Now, crews continue their efforts to put up hundreds of Christmas Lights and decorations in preparation for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 4 – 9 p.m. The free event features food, games, bounce houses, entertainment, vendors and — of course — the arrival of jolly old Santa on a fire truck. After the tree-lighting, children and families may have their photo with Santa at no charge.
“There is nothing like a 40-foot Christmas tree to bring in the holiday spirit,” says Laura Norman, Public Relations Supervisor for Sierra Tel. “I love it that the Oakhurst Community Christmas tree is located on the most visible intersection in Oakhurst so everyone can enjoy it.”
Committee members for the tree lighting event, traditionally held the first Saturday in December, work for several months in advance to bring this gift for all to see, whether they live nearby or are just passing through.
“It is a glorious thing to behold.”
Exciting times – the Oakhurst Christmas Tree is up! Thank you to Yosemite Ranch, Sierra Tel and Oakhurst Crane for making this happen!
Posted by Oakhurst Community Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 17, 2017
It takes days to put the lights on the tree, says Visit Yosemite Madera County’s Therese Williams.
“Having a community Christmas tree is really special for locals, but also for our visitors so that they can experience the community spirit.”
The Oakhurst Christmas Tree Lighting has become a tradition for families all over the mountain area and beyond. Many valley families with ties to our community join us every year to kick off the Christmas Season. The committee is committed to keeping the tradition alive for many generations to come.
