Sammamish kicks off season with Holiday Lighting Ceremony

Published 12:14 pm Thursday, November 29, 2012

With the flick of a switch, Sammamish Councilman Tom Vance kicked off the holiday season on the Plateau Wednesday, lighting up the city’s Christmas tree and Menorah during the seventh annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony.

Recreation Coordinator Lynne Handlos estimated that several hundred community members dropped by City Hall, noting that there were 250 cookies for children to decorate and they all got used.

“Everything went very smoothly,” she said. “This was probably the most amount of partnerships we’ve ever had for this event.”

Festivities began with the Blackwell Elementary choir singing a variety of holiday tunes. Attention then moved to the lighting of the tree in the City Hall lobby.

Children then were invited outside to a heated tent to decorate cookies before chowing down.

Eastside Fire and Rescue provided entertainment, covering an engine in lights and pumping out the holiday tunes. Republic Services also brought one of its trucks for the first time, covering it in lights and allowing kids a chance to sit in the cab.

“It was great,” Handlos said.

Sabrina Brummett, 2, is elated after the Christmas tree was lit Wednesday at Sammamish City Hall.

Children line up for their chance to sit in the Eastside Fire & Rescue engine.

Blackwell Elementary students perform holiday songs, kicking off the Holiday Lighting Ceremony in Sammamish.

Rudolph sits atop the Eastside Fire and Rescue engine.