Utah Tech University hosted the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, with food trucks, activities and a drone show for all ages as an opportunity to kick off the holiday season and bring the community together.
The 40-foot Christmas tree lit up the circle in between the Human Performance Center and the Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons & Library.
The event, held Dec. 3, had more than just a tree lighting ceremony. The community was invited to attend in celebration of the holidays. The tree lighting was at 5 p.m., with a drone show held at 7:30 p.m. Booths and different activities were held in between the lighting ceremony and drone show.
There was also the option to take a picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a tradition that brought long lines of excited families waiting their turn. For students and families wanting to take a ride around campus, a horse-drawn carriage was offered to ride along Palm Street on the walkway of the M. Anthony Burns Arena.
Abby Prince, a senior ASL English Interpreting major from St. George and events planner for UTSA, said, “I love seeing the little kids running around so excited to see Santa.”
Prince, who helped coordinate the event, said it was a lot of work to get the businesses and food trucks to come, but the payoff of seeing families together to kick off the holidays was worth it.
Some of the booths and businesses in attendance were:
Each company/organization offered activities and prizes, giving students and families opportunities to interact with local services and businesses. While booths remained active, live music performed by local bands played, including Utah Tech’s FUSION. Festive holiday music brought a warm mood to the cold night.
Major Karen Schmig from the Salvation Army was asked to come to promote the acts of service they do for the community.
The Salvation Army booth served as a reminder that the holiday season can be a time for giving, and many attendees stopped by to learn how they could contribute to the community.
Schmig said: “We love it [the event]. This is where we get most of our angels taken off the tree. Everyone is just amazing here.” The Angel Tree is a program for individuals to give gifts to those in need during the holidays, often catered to children with specific interests in mind.
Some activities hosted by the Utah Tech Student Association and Utah Tech Alumni Association included hot chocolate, letters to Santa and making gingerbread houses.
Aiysha Ali, a junior psychology major from Tacoma, Washington, is an alumni ambassador. As an ambassador of the Utah Tech Alumni Association, Ali emphasized how important these annual events are for keeping past and present students connected.
Ali said: “The alumni and Alumni Association is really big on traditions and making sure we [students] stay connected throughout the years. That is why we are here.”
With the final drone lights fading from the sky, Utah Tech closed out another year of its long-standing holiday tradition. As the holidays approach, students and communities can find more holiday events by following various social media platforms.
