Mayor Lucy Vinis spoke at the opening and ending of the holiday event that celebrated the 5th annual lighting of the trees.
Community celebrates cultural arts at Fifth annual tree lighting event in Eugene
Light Up Downtown is an annual event in Downtown Eugene. This year it took place on Nov. 22 at Eugene’s Park Blocks and Kesey Square.
There, holiday-themed performances by musicians and dancers as well as food and beverages were available. The celebration culminated in the illumination of thousands of multi-colored lights adorning the surrounding trees and businesses.
Egan Warming Center, which runs overnight shelters in Eugene and Springfield — including a site on LCC’s main campus — had a table set up to accept donations of warm clothing items. Their mission is to ensure that people who experience homelessness have a place to sleep indoors when temperatures drop.
The event was packed. “This crowd continues to grow every year. We’ve maxed out at 2,000 people so far,” said Mindy Linder, the Downtown Programs Manager for Cultural Services with the City of Eugene.
Unlike previous years, Mayor Lucy Vinis spoke both at the beginning of the event as well as the end before the lighting. The mayor offered an acknowledgment to the indigenous people in the community during her opening speech saying, “As mayor of Eugene, I am here to acknowledge that we hold this ceremony and live in this community on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people.”
The crowd roared with applause following the mayor’s speech. “That’s the first time that we have done this as a city, so what a beautiful way for us to begin our program of illumination with a step of reconciliation and healing,” said Jorah LaFleur, the poet who introduced the acts throughout the night.
The importance of Native American Heritage Month and the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest continued to be highlighted throughout the event. Genevieve Middleton, a member and advocate of the Navajo Nation was invited to the stage and urged the crowd to “take steps in correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s histories and cultures.”
After the opening ceremony were the performances. They included Chinese lion dancing, a musician looping beats electronically to create songs, a children’s choir and a group of marimba players.
The crowd danced, sang along and clapped and cheered passionately for each act.
Attendees were given white candles before the event started. Before turning on the holiday lights, the crowd lit candles and held them to the sky. LaFleur instructed the crowd to make a wish before counting down from ten. At zero the lights flickered on to illuminate the trees, and Jorah exclaimed, “Blow out your candles!”
Many of the surrounding businesses and restaurants remained open after hours to accommodate attendees of the event.
