There will be no gathering around the community Christmas tree for a lighting ceremony this year.
The annual ceremony, which kicks off the festive season in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, will look a little different this year thanks to COVID-19.
The city says there will be no in-person gathering for the Community Tree Lighting Ceremony and the popular Downtown Moonlight Magic shopping event, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The event, which normally draws in crowds of up to 5,000 people to the downtown core, would greatly exceed the province's emergency order preventing gatherings of more than 100 people in monitored outdoor events.
However, in an effort to spread joy and holiday cheer, the tree will be lit in conjunction with the Downtown Association's "12 days to light up the holidays," which is meant to be an impressive display of lights down the length of Queen St., including the future site of the downtown plaza."
