City’s holiday tree arrives, to be lit Dec. 5

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The city’s Christmas tree has arrived and will be lit up Dec. 5.

The tree, a 30-foot blue spruce, was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Swan of DeSoto Avenue. The tree was placed Tuesday on the city’s Central Square by Ohio Edison and Diamond Steel Construction.

The tree will be lit around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the conclusion of the Downtown Youngstown Holiday Parade.

The parade, returning after a lengthy absence, has signed up about 15 participants and named the grand marshals.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams and his wife, Sonja, will be the parade’s grand marshals.

Participation in the parade is free. The deadline to sign up is Monday.

To participate, contact Lyndsey A. Hughes, the city’s downtown director of special events and special projects, at (330) 742-8710 or Councilman John R. Swierz, D-7th, and the chairman of First Night Youngstown’s parade committee, at (330) 788-5114.

The city and First Night are cosponsoring the parade.

The last Youngstown Holiday Parade (then known as the Youngstown Christmas Parade)took place in the early 1990s.

The Dec. 5 parade is to step off on Andrews Avenue about 3 p.m. and go to East Federal Street before ending on the city’s Central Square.