The annual Christmas tree burn in Solvang will take place Friday night, a week earlier than initially planned.

The tree burn will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the empty field adjacent to Old Mission Santa Inés, 1760 Mission Drive.

The event also will include food for sale by Rudy’s Mexican Food, Crave Mini Donuts, and Whiskey n’ Rye Smokehouse, along with assorted activities organized by the Solvang Parks and Recreation Department.

City Manager Randy Murphy told the Solvang City Council earlier this month about the date change from Jan. 10 to Jan. 3. 

The site where the tree burn occurs won’t be available next week due to work related to the Mission’s seismic retrofit project, Murphy said.

A $500,000 federal grant plus donations funded the project to protect the structure from earthquake damage, according to the California Missions Foundations. 

In the days after Christmas, Santa Ynez Valley residents drop off undecorated, unflocked real Christmas trees to build a behemoth pile for the event that has been held for more than three decades. 

The tree burn also serves as a fire-safety demonstration conducted by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. 

Rainy weather can wash out the tree burn. In that case, the trees will be turned into mulch.

The forecast for Friday night in Solvang calls for mostly cloudy conditions, with a low in the high-30s.

Solvang Julefest celebrates the Christmas season with various events, including a tree lighting and parade from late November and into December before culminating with the tree burn in early January.

While the tree burn typically heralds the end of Solvang’s holiday celebration, some Julefest activities such as the light and music show in the downtown park will continue through Jan. 5, with displays hourly between 5 and 9 p.m.