Lighting ceremony to kick off season

YOUNGSTOWN -- Flipping the switch on 25,000 white lights downtown will cap the city's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony Saturday.
Events start at 3 p.m. on Federal Plaza with music by the Youngstown Plazateers. Also performing will be the Youngstown Connection and the Say What? Band.
The tree-lighting ceremony will start at 3:30 p.m.
As part of the tree-lighting ceremony, children's pictures can be taken with Santa for free. Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer characters will mingle with the children.
There also will be free cookies, cake, candy, coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
Also, the Chaney High School football and volleyball teams will be honored. They won the City Series in both sports.
After the tree is lighted, the 25,000 white lights will be turned on. Private donations paid for the lights.
Volunteer electricians have strung the lights on trees, bushes and light poles along Federal Street from the Western Reserve Transit Authority terminal at Fifth Avenue to the area beyond where the plaza ends at Walnut Street.