Mayor's Holiday Tree Lighting

Calendar Date:
Friday, November 21, 2025 - 4:00pm to 7:00pm

Santa and Mrs. Claus with the 2018 Santa drawing winner who gets to flip the switch

The public is cordially invited to attend the annual Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting at Haymarket Square each year on the Friday before Thanksgiving.  Food and gift vendors will be available starting at 4 p.m.  The Holiday Parade will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m., and the official Tree Lighting will be held immediately following the parade. 

Parade - Registration Information

Limit of 25 entries.  Theme is "Holidays".  Deadline to register is noon on the Wednesday before the parade.  All guidelines for the entry are listed on the registration site, which will be available in the fall.

The staging area is at 5th and Seneca. Staging will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 5 p.m.  Parade begins at 5:30 p.m.

The parade route will begin at 5th and Seneca, move south to Delaware then west on Delaware to 7th Street, then south on 7th Street to Cherokee, then east on Cherokee to Haymarket Square.

Market

The holiday market begins at 4 p.m.  To become a vendor for the holiday market, see contact information area to the right.

Light Display

Each year, lights are put up at Haymarket Square and set to music on a specified radio station.  The display stays up until the Monday after New Year's Day for all citizens to enjoy.  Just pull into Haymarket Square and tune your radio to the station showing on the signs.

Click any thumbnail image to view a slideshow

Haymarket Square and a Christmas tree lit up with Christmas lights during the Mayor's Tree Lighting Festivities in 2018
Haymarket Square and a Christmas tree lit up with purple and red lights during the Mayor's Tree Lighting Festivities in 2018
Mayor speaking in front of a crowd of people including Santa and Mrs. Claus during the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony in 2018
Decorated trucks with lights and numerous floats join in the Holiday Parade in 2014
Commissioners pose next to an older car decorated with a Christmas wreath during the Holiday parade in 2023
A group of people pose with an inflatable snowman on their Holiday float in 2023
Children pose in front of the Mayor's tree that's been lit up with Christmas lights in 2019
A large float that's been made to look like Santa's red sleigh and decorated with light up candy canes for the parade
Group of children singing in a choir during the Mayor's Tree Lighting
Child flipping the tree lighting switch with the 2019 Mayor
A float in the holiday parade that includes the 2019 Leavenworth Raider Champions
A float in the parade that includes a Snowman, a red sleigh, and a female singer performing on the float
Santa and Mrs. Claus sitting in their chairs waiting for the festivities to begin in 2019
Photo of handmade beeswax candles and other candles that is being sold at a Holiday market in 2019
Holiday market foods and items on a table for people to taste and buy at the 2019 Holiday Market