PHOTOS: 2013 Blink! Tree Lighting Spectacular at Faneuil Hall Marketplace
The Christmas tree at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. (Photo by Olga Khvan)
A crowd of thousands braved bitter cold weather on Saturday night to take in the annual tree lighting ceremony at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Day-long festivities included dozens of performances and the kick-off of a holiday toy drive hosted by the New England Patriots, while the ceremony itself—hosted by WBZ-TV’s Lisa Hughes and Jonathan Elias—featured a few musical performances and a guest appearance by Red Sox infielder Will Middlebrooks and Wally the Green Monster, who brought the new World Series trophy on stage. Mayor Tom Menino was on hand to flip the switch, kicking off the year’s first performance of Blink!—a light and sound extravaganza that illuminates the 80-foot-tall Norwegian spruce with more than 350,000 LED lights.
Check out highlights from the night below:
Photo by Olga Khvan
Thousands of people packed Faneuil Hall Marketplace for the annual tree lighting ceremony.
Photo by Olga Khvan
Multi-platinum recording artist LOU, who recently released a Christmas record, played Christmas carols for the crowd.
Photo by Olga Khvan
The crowd at Faneuil Hall Marketplace awaits the tree lighting ceremony.
Photo by Olga Khvan
The ceremony, which was televised live, was co-hosted by WBZ-TV’s Lisa Hughes and Jonathan Elias.
Photo by Olga Khvan
Grammy award-winning singer and Rockport, Mass., native Paula Cole performed holiday songs, as well as her hit, “I Don’t Want to Wait,” which she pointed out wasn’t written for Dawson’s Creek, but for her grandfather.
Photo by Olga Khvan
Red Sox infielder Will Middlebrooks and Wally the Green Monster showed up to show off the team’s 2013 World Series trophy.
Photo by Olga Khvan
Keith Lockhart, music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for a special holiday performance. Before the ceremony, Lockhart signed copies of the Boston Pops’ new holiday CD in front of Quincy Market.
Photo by Olga Khvan
Host Jonathan Elias took a closer look at Mayor Menino’s new cane, given to him by close friends and shaped like a Louisville Slugger baseball bat in honor of the Red Sox’s 2013 World Series victory.
Photo by Olga Khvan
After flipping the switch, Mayor Menino and company looked over at the 80-foot Christmas tree, lit up in 300,000 lights and strobes.
Photo by Olga Khvan
A fake snow shower of white confetti followed the tree lighting ceremony.
Photo by Olga Khvan
The 85-year-old, 80-foot Norwegian spruce came to Boston as a gift from a couple in Long Island, New York, who chose to remove the tree from their property after damage from Hurricane Sandy.
