The 2019 Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday and will include the much anticipated return of the Community Christmas Tree.
Crews have been working this week to install the lights on the tree to make sure one of the city's most beloved holiday traditions is ready to be lit along with other Christmas decorations. The annual lighting ceremony is the official kick-off to the holiday season in El Dorado.
Sherry Cross, who initiated an effort to restore the Community Christmas Tree, also known as the KTVE Christmas Tree and the "big" Christmas, said volunteers turned out in droves last week to fill 32 strands with a total of 6,500 lights in the barn at the Union County Fairgrounds.
"We actually finished two hours ahead of schedule. We finished at about 6:30 Thursday night, so we didn't to go Friday at all," she said.
The tree first went up in the 1960s over the former station of KTVE on West Main and became a holiday staple, in which many families have shared memories of driving underneath the tree, which hangs on a 200-foot communications tower.
The tradition ended in 2014 when an inspection crew ordered the lights down because deteriorating equipment.
Shortly after Cross began working in media sales at KTVE in April, she approached her bosses about restoring the tree for the 2019 holiday season. After receiving the go-ahead, a committee soon formed to steer the effort and the group raised $30,000 in donations.
In September, Cross presented a funding request to the El Dorado Advertising and Promotion Commission for another $30,000 to cover the cost of the lights, other related equipment and installation. The total was $59,740.
The commission dipped into its reserve coffers to approve the request, much to the delight of the community.
The lights were ordered immediately and an initial call for volunteers to help fill the strands with light bulbs did not reach the local masses, Cross said.
The first workday was scheduled Nov. 11 and less than a handful of volunteers reportedly showed.
"The plan was to do eight strands a night. That first night, we got one strand done, so we were far behind," Cross said.
That all changed as the week wore on, thanks to a story in the News-Times and the casting of a wider net through social media and word of mouth.
"I can't even begin to tell you how pleased I am with everybody's help. Delek [Lion Oil] sent a crew and I want to thank Kent and Lisa Holmes. Kent Holmes came every day. He would come get the key from me and he would start working two to three hours before everyone else came," she said. "I'm very proud of this city. I'm very proud of the city of El Dorado, from the people who gave donations to the people who put in manpower. And I'm excited."
The lighting ceremony will be broadcast live and Cross and Main Street El Dorado board members said the event will be shot at an angle that will capture both the lighting of the downtown lights and the "big" Christmas tree.
The ceremony will get under way on the east side of the Union County Courthouse with performances by local groups and other activities.
State Representative and Speaker of the House Matthew Shepherd (R-El Dorado) will flip the switch to illuminate the city in the traditional Christmas hues of red and green, and the Community Christmas Tree will return to its original colors of blue with a white cap, which were designed decades ago to resemble a mountain, Cross said.
Live performances are scheduled by Executive Dance and Fitness, the South Arkansas Arts Center, El Dorado Children's Choir, Parkers Chapel Thespian Troupe No. 8889, Lucy's Ladies, Keith Owens, Washington Middle School and Dance Connection.
There will be free hot chocolate and free rides on a horse-drawn carriage and the PJ's Holiday Express Train.
The Salvation Army will also launch its 2019 Red Kettle fundraising campaign.
Immediately following the lighting ceremony will be the Union County Relay for Life luminary ceremony, which commemorates people who lost their lives to cancer and celebrates cancer survivors, said Beth Brumley, Main Street El Dorado executive director.
The Downtown Holiday Open House is scheduled from 1 until 4 p.m. Nov. 24.
In addition to exploring downtown retail stores, shoppers will have the opportunity to take selfies against a holiday backdrop that will set up by Main Street El Dorado during the open house.