Macy’s Great Tree Lighting tradition continues in Atlanta for 74th year

The holiday season can officially begin now that the Macy’s Great Tree Lighting is complete. The Atlanta tradition continued Thursday night at Lenox Square.

Believe it or not, this is the 74th consecutive holiday season for the tree lighting. But unlike year’s past, this year’s event was invitation only.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

This year was also the first since Channel 2′s Jovita Moore passed away last month after her battle with brain cancer. Jovita hosted the event for years on Channel 2.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shared touching words about Jovita at the ceremony.

“If you did not know her well, you still felt like she was your best friend. She was part of our lives,” Bottoms said. “Just thinking of her mother and her kids this holiday season.”

TRENDING STORIES

• Longest partial lunar eclipse in centuries visible in Georgia
• 2 parents arrested during Gwinnett County School Board meeting
• Georgia DOT issues holiday travel forecast ahead of Thanksgiving week

As part of the annual tradition, Macy’s donated $20,000 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

A little girl named Autumn, who just finished treatment for leukemia, pressed the button to light the tree up.

The tree features more than 45,000 sparkling lights that stretch more than eight miles around the tree.

While the ceremony was invite only, you can still enjoy Macy’s Great Tree. It will be on display through Jan. 1 at Lenox Square.

IN OTHER NEWS

Christmas tree shortage as holidays approach (NCD)

©2021 Cox Media Group