City of Williston Invites Community to Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting

The City of Williston invites the community to celebrate the holiday season by lighting the Community Christmas Tree. Since its 2014 revival, this yearly event has become a beloved opportunity for residents to celebrate together.

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Jackie and Jason Peles donated this year's spectacular Community Christmas Tree, a 50-foot Colorado Spruce weighing 8,000 pounds. On Tuesday, November 14, the tree at 801 24th Street East was gently harvested and moved to 26th Street West and 2nd Avenue.

The Peles family and JoAnne Colebank's family experienced a unique moment watching the tree's removal. The Colebank family remembered planting the tree as a sapling in the early 1980s by JoAnne's father. Jason Peles said, "Meeting the tree-planters was exciting. JoAnne knew my grandparents, thus this brought us together."

The Colebank family was sad to see the tree go, but they were honored to share it with the community. Wayne Colebank said, "Everyone seeing and enjoying it is cool. We saw that tree grow for 15 years and have many memories. We rejoiced when we heard."

With the tree in place, the community is invited to the 9th Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, November 27, at 5:30 p.m. The event promises a fun evening with a bonfire, Alliance Consulting refreshments, Christmas music, and TNT pyrotechnics pyrotechnics. Dallas Peles, 10, will ignite the tree after Mayor Howard Klug's brief remarks.

Dacotah West Crane Service, 11 Bravo Property Services, LLC., The city of Williston Public Works, Alliance Consulting, TNT Fireworks, Williston PD, and FD collaborated on this spectacular project. Alliance Consulting's drone footage will add magic to the occasion.

Along with the tree lighting, the community is urged to enter the third annual Community Christmas Tree Ornament Contest. Creatively decorate the tree with handmade ornaments from all ages. The contest has four age groups: 6 and under, 7-10, 11-14, and 15+.

Submit homemade ornaments to the Community Christmas Tree by Friday, December 8, starting November 27. To join the contest, upload a photo of their ornament on the tree or of them placing it via Facebook Messenger to the City of Williston or the Williston Community Library, or email it to communications@ci.williston.nd.us. Participants should include their name, age, ornament name, and placement by December 8.

Contest winners from each age category will be announced on Monday, December 11, and featured on Williston's Facebook and Instagram accounts. Participants should remember that ornaments will be outside, therefore durability is important. A deadline for ornament retrieval will be offered.

Even without entering the contest, anyone can decorate the tree to add to the holiday spirit. From now until December, the Community Christmas Tree will thrill passersby.

Join Williston on November 27 as the town celebrates the holidays with warmth, joy, and colorful lights.