Cedar Park Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop Postponed

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS — The strong likelihood of heavy rainfall at week's end has prompted Cedar Park officials to postpone the Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa's Workshop to Saturday, Dec. 8.

The annual event originally was scheduled to take place on Friday, Dec. 7. But weather forecasters are calling for rain to hit the Central Texas region by Friday, some with the potential to spark flash flooding.

Now postponed until Saturday, the popular holiday community event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the same general area around Heritage Oak Park, 875 Quest Parkway, according to a city advisory. However, most activities will be shifted to the closed-off street and adjacent Police/Court parking lot due to park grounds potentially being saturated, officials added.

"Please note that some activities, such as carriage rides, will not be available due to the date change," officials wrote in a press advisory. "There will still be opportunities for free games, prizes, crafts, photos with Santa (bring your own camera), music and inflatables. Food concessions will also be available. Cedar Park Police will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Blue Santa as well."

This year marks the City’s 20th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, during which the city’s prized Heritage Oak Tree, believed to be more than 400 years old, is adorned with more than 60,000 lights. One lucky kindergarten or first grade student who has won the city’s annual coloring contest will be given the honor of flipping the giant switch to turn on the lights. The winner will be announced by Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale during the ceremony.

A quintessentially Cedar Park tradition, the Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa’s Workshop is sponsored this year by Smile Doctors Braces, Bath Fitter, Spirit 105.9, Family Emergency Room, Music & Arts and Austin Telco Federal Credit Union.

The tree will stay illuminated each evening throughout the holiday season. For updates and additional information, visit www.cedarparktexas.gov.

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