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The annual Home for the Holidays Celebration is set to light up Syracuse tonight. The event, which begins at 6 p.m. in Clinton Square, will feature the lighting of the city's 42-foot tall artificial holiday tree, live music, and a special mailbox for children's letters to Santa.
Local indie/pop rock artist Sydney Irving will kick off the celebration with a performance from 6 to 6:20 p.m., followed by a performance by Trump Tight 315. The tree lighting is scheduled to take place at approximately 7 p.m. according to the Syracuse Department of Parks & Recreation.
For the first time, a holiday mailbox will be placed on the east side of Clinton Square, next to the tree, for children to drop off letters for the North Pole. To receive a response from Santa, letters must include a complete return address, child’s first name and last initial, 2-3 holiday wishes, their favorite thing about Syracuse during the holiday season, and the parent or guardian’s full name.
Following the tree lighting, the Clinton Square Ice Rink will open for skating with extended hours until 9:30 p.m., weather permitting. Other city ice rinks, including the John Dunn Ice Rink and the Sunnycrest Ice Rink, will also be open for skating today.