JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Its officially Christmas time in Jacksonville - the switch was flipped on Tuesday night, lighting the tree downtown.
At 6:15 p.m., the lights on the tree lit up, showcasing the beautiful blue, red and gold ornaments.
This year the tree lighting was virtual, so many people watched at home on their tv screens.
There were a few people that showed up to watch it in person, like Belinda Stewart.
“This is a very special time of the year for everyone, and we just love to see the lighting of the Christmas tree, especially in Jacksonville,” Steward said.
Mayor Lenny Curry was scheduled to be at the lighting, but demonstrators in the area forced Curry to cancel his planned appearance. They were protesting the controversial Lot J proposal, and a sign was said to have had the mayor’s children’s names on it. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office recommended his family not be there out of an abundance out caution.
In previous years, the ceremony took place at the Jacksonville Landing, which has been demolished. Last year during the demolition, the ceremony was moved to the park, formerly known as Hemming Park.