Recreation & Fun

Monday, December 7

It was the morning of our 80th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting and all of Santa’s elves were busy making arrangements for the event, held every year at McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park.

Rockefeller Center in New York City has nothing on us. They’ve only been lighting their tree for 78 years.

If you’ve ever been to one of our tree lightings, you know that it’s one of the city’s most popular, wholesome, family-friendly events that you can attend all year. Every year, the bustling crowd filled with smiling children and happy families proves it.

It takes a concerted effort on many fronts to orchestrate an event like this. I, for one, get the boot from my own office so that event organizers can begin decorating, rearranging furniture and preparing my office and the entire front of the Lodge into a winter wonderland, complete with Santa’s House, a Cookie Factory and an Arts and Crafts booth.

The San Francisco Parks Trust pitches in every year by donating refreshments for the masses and photos with Santa for the children.

Our staff, led this year by Eric Andersen and Steve Cismowski, does an amazing job getting us ready, from the Tree Topper crew that hangs the lights on the 100-ft. Monterey cypress to the rec staff that coordinates and runs all the children’s activities. It’s quite a production.

Come event time, local residents and families begin converging on the Lodge, and the Golden Gate Park Brass Band and the Young People’s Teen Musical Theatre Company entertain the crowd.

This year, Mayor Newsom was on hand to lead the countdown to the lighting of the tree.

Thanks to everyone who played a part in organizing the event, and a hearty Happy Holidays to the rest of you!

Click here for a video of the festivities.