Preparations are under way for the arrival of Yakima’s Community Christmas Tree on Friday, November 22nd.
The Downtown Association of Yakima (DAY) crew in partnership with the City of Yakima Public Works Division, Russell Crane and Carrell Crane & Heavy Hauling, Inc. will secure a tree provided for the second year in a row by Yakima area residents Barry and Jan Rosenkranz.
It is anticipated the tree will be transported between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm Friday and placed in the ground at Millennium Plaza in front of the Capital Theater around noon.
Transporting the tree may impact traffic from 40th Avenue and Fruitvale Boulevard to North 5th Avenue, and Yakima Avenue to 3rd Street.
Third Street between Yakima Avenue and Chestnut Avenue will be temporarily closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate the tree installation. Parking spaces on 3rd Street adjacent to Millennium Plaza will also be closed.
Plans for transporting the tree to Downtown Yakima are subject to change dependent on weather and equipment. The official tree lighting ceremony will be Sunday, December 1st, at the conclusion of Downtown Yakima’s annual Holiday Lighted Parade.
Volunteers with DAY will hang lights on trees in the Plaza area prior to the parade and lighting ceremony.
The tree to be installed at Millennium Plaza was selected from more than a dozen entries. “Thank you to the Yakima community for submitting so many options for consideration,” said DAY Executive Director Curt Wilson. “And thanks to all in advance for their patience as crews transport the tree this Friday.”
Visit Welcome to Downtown Yakima – Downtown Association of Yakima for more about DAY.
Visit Yakima Holiday Festivities | Points of Interest (yakimawa.gov) for more about holiday festivities in Yakima.