Santa Barbara city workers took part in a festive type of tree trimming Tuesday to help “plant” the Community Holiday Tree smack in the middle of State Street downtown.
A 45-foot Douglas fir arrived around 8 a.m. just north of the intersection of Victoria and State streets, where crews from the Public Works and Parks departments labored for several hours to install the Downtown Organization-sponsored tree.
Southern California Edison donated the tree, which was placed and pruned near the Arlington Theatre.
Crews fluffed leaves and untangled colorful holiday lights before carefully stringing them ahead of the Downtown Holiday Parade, which will take place next Friday under the theme “Holidays in Paradise.”
Many passersby paused to take pictures of the tree’s arrival with their smartphones, and even some of the city workers trimming the tree from lofted cranes.
The official lighting of the tree will be next Friday at 6:30 p.m. before the 61st annual parade, and the lights will shine on throughout the holiday season, said Kate Schwab, marketing director of the Downtown Organization.
Schwab said the tree serves as a key staging area tool during the parade, with floats, bands and others lining up on either side before strolling down State Street.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.