Lightsey family delivers Christmas tree to City

The City of St. Augustine took delivery of its holiday tree from Lightsey and Sons this morning and public works employees went to work using a backhoe to set the oversize Fraser fir in the plaza near the Gazebo.

Glenn Lightsey and wife Vivian cut down the 19′ 3″ tall tree at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening in Newland, North Carolina; the county seat of Avery County in the northwest corner of the state.

For over 15 years, the Lightsey’s have made the selection of a holiday tree for the City and this year’s tree is among the finest. Glenn Lightsey told Historic City News editor Michael Gold this afternoon that they had to be extra careful as they made the 522-mile journey back to town with this year’s tree.

“The City deserves the very best,” Lightsey said when asked about all of the effort that goes into the process.

Now, the tree will be decorated and lights strung just in time to lead off the Light Up Night event scheduled for this Saturday, November 19th.

St. Augustine’s residents and visitors will gather for the tree lighting at 6:30 p.m., followed by a countdown to the lighting. Past mayors of St. Augustine will meet in the historic Plaza de la Constitucion to “flip the switch” to light up the Nights of Lights.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer