Light Up the Square
Hosted by Jeff Thomas
November 18, 2009, 9:57 a.m.
Join host Jeff Thomas of "Jeff & Jenn in the Morning" on Fri., Nov. 28 for "Light Up the Square," the annual lighting of the Holiday tree on Fountain Square.
Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. for this day-after-Thanksgiving tradition that no Cincinnatian should miss!
This year's tree is 50 feet from tip to tip. The red Macy's star on top is five-feet tall, and 20,000 white lights fill the branches!
The Naked Karate Girls will provide live music beginning at 6 p.m. and throughout the event.
At 7 p.m. Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory will light the tree with the help of Union, Ky., native and popular actor Josh Hutcherson, whose latest movie, "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," premiered last month.
The evening ends with fireworks and a visit from Santa Claus.
The U.S. Bank Skating Rink will remain open during the event.
And there will be activities at Fountain Square throughout the Thanksgiving weekend.
On Thanksgiving Day, thousands will take part in the 100th annual Thanksgiving Day Race as well as the Fall Feast dinner at the Duke Energy Convention Center. At 2 p.m., the U.S. Bank Ice Rink opens for skating, and at 5 p.m. Toyota's Rock-N-Skate will feature live music by Eclipse, a local funk, soul band. Skating continues until 10 p.m.
On Saturday (Nov. 28), a new video and fireworks show called Polar Explosion starts at 6:30 p.m. Keep your eyes on the giant video screen for a brand new holiday show that blends superior video effects, music and real fireworks, created by Rozzi's Famous Fireworks and Lightborne production studio.
And don't miss Santa Skates on Saturday and Sunday. Santa will arrive on a Segway at 11 a.m. on Saturday and skate with kids until noon, and again on Sunday from noon to 1 p.m.
Santa Skates continues the first three weekends in December.