A Santa Ynez Valley post-holiday tradition illuminated the night sky Friday in Solvang, capping the city’s weeks-long Julefest celebration
Solvang’s Annual Christmas Tree Burn is held in the fields of Old Mission Santa Inés, 1760 Mission Drive, under the supervision of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
For more than a week, area residents have been adding their no-longer-needed Christmas trees to the pile — minus stands and ornaments.
The powerful spectacle ignites the New Year and heralds the end of Solvang’s Julefest celebration, organizers said.
The event culminating the Christmas season also is one of the largest fire-safety demonstrations and community gatherings. Before igniting the larger pile, Fire Department staff demonstrated how quickly flames can consume a dry tree.
And firefighters reminded residents should not attempt to burn their own Christmas trees, which can be disposed of properly by taking them to an event like this or recycled in a green waste container.
This year’s Julefest theme was “The Spirit of Giving” and the celebration since Dec. 1 featured living Christmas trees displayed in the town, the traditional community tree-lighting ceremony, a parade and live Nativity Pageant, plus much more.
The Solvang Parks & Recreation Department coordinated the event, which also included live entertainment and refreshments for purchase.
For more information about Solvang activities go here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
