Downtown Oneonta Tree Lighting Thursday

Join your family, friends and neighbors this Thursday evening for the Annual Oneonta Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Muller Plaza in Downtown Oneonta.  Main Street will be closed off to traffic so participants can enjoy...

• horse-drawn wagon rides
• SUNY Chamber Singers will be singing from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
• visits with Santa in his plaza cottage
• alpacas
• Fokine ballet dancers performing scenes from the Nutcracker in shop windows from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Pop into the Oneonta History Center to see their holiday display and pop shop.
• Fabulous local singers perform from 6 to 8 p.m.: Jeff Wood, Judy Pitel, Michael J Gray, Shelly R Ashley, Leah Echstein, Jennifer Insetta, Liz Walker, Marty Kuhn and Terri Whitney.
• Oneonta's Mayor, Gary Herzig will perform the tree lighting duty at 6 p.m.
• In Main Street walkway, First Night Oneonta will be selling buttons for the Dec. 31st event.
• A variety of non-profit groups will be either selling or offering up for free a variety of treats and items.
• CANO will be in front of Java Island helping kids decorate historical cookies
• Open House at the Oneonta Welcome Center at 2 Dietz St. from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
• Winners of McLaughlins Ugly Sweater Contest will be announced at 7 p.m. (entries should show off sweater at McLaughlins from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

This free family event is sponsored by Destination Oneonta.