Festival of Lights in Washington DC
An audible cheer filled Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City on Nov. 25 as visitors to Church headquarters witnessed the annual “flip of a switch” and thousands of Christmas lights turned on.
For more than 50 years, Temple Square has been a destination for families and friends to see colorful lights during the Christmas season. Whether it is on the evening when the lights officially turn on for the season or anytime leading up to Christmas or through the New Year, visitors to the display come — even in snow and cold temperatures — from around the world to enjoy the Christmas season and focus their thoughts on the Savior.
“It’s good [for getting] in the Christmas spirit,” said McKenzie Rice, as quoted in the Deseret News. “In a sense, it’s sharing the joy of Christ in Christmas.”
The tradition began in 1965 when President David O. McKay asked arborist J. Leland Behunin, under head gardener Irvin T. Nelson, to string lights on Temple Square. That first unveiling brought around 15,000 people to the square.
Over the years the lights have gone from a display of thousands of lights to elaborate decorations and hundreds of thousands of lights. Arborists usually begin their work in August, making sure to care for the trees as they put up the display.
In addition to the lights, Christmas music, unique Nativities from cultures around the world and luminarias fill the square. Other events attract visitors to Temple Square — the “Savior of the World” production, the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert and the annual Latino Christmas concert — and will take place leading up to Christmas.
The lights will turn on every night from dusk until 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.
In addition to the lights in the evenings, Temple Square hosts free concerts put on by school, church and other musical groups held in six different venues. Visit templesquare.com/christmas/ for a list of Christmastime events on Temple Square, including the schedule of free concerts.
mholman@desnews.com @marianne_holman
