By Amanda Bleck

On the corner of Culver Boulevard and Main Street, residents of Culver City gathered to watch the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. On Thursday, Dec. 2, friends, families and pets alike gathered with their Santa hats and jingling bells as children danced in the town plaza to popular Christmas carols.

The ceremony began with performances by the Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Chamber Singers and the Linwood Howe Elementary School Choir. It didn’t take long until the crowd began to sing along to such classics as Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Santa Claus even made an appearance. His brightly lit sleigh sped down Main Street, followed by his very own Culver City police convoy. The familiar face of Santa’s sleigh ride is a courtesy of the Culver City Police Officers Association.

Special guest Mayor Christopher Armenta, lit the tree for the public and spoke to the crowd acknowledging the redevelopment efforts of Culver City, crediting the event’s success as a result of their hard work.

The ceremony was presented in part by the Culver City Redevelopment Agency, a project very close to the mayor’s heart. “If you look anywhere in Culver City right now, something is happening,” Armenta said about the project. “Our downtown reputation is really starting to get out there.”

Armenta said he was happy to see the tree-lighting celebration continue to grow year after year. When asked what his favorite part of the event was, he said without hesitation, “It has to be the children,” adding, “We put on an event like this hoping to give them something they will remember forever.”