Residents on Henry Avenue and Vaughn Street are busy decorating their houses and yards for the annual spectacle of the celebrated Christmas Tree Lane, which debuts this Saturday following the annual Ceres Christmas Festival.
For decades the Ceres Christmas Festival preceding the opening of Christmas Tree Lane was held at Smyrna Park but the venue changed to the Ceres Community Center in 2022 on account of rain. The festival again takes place at the Community Center, 2701 Fourth Street from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. Sponsored by the City of Ceres Recreation Department, the event is free.
Children can participate in crafts, writing letters to Santa and posing for free pictures with Santa.
Free coffee and hot chocolate will be served and deserts but vendors will be on hand selling food like tacos, barbecued meats, popcorn, candy and churros. Other vendors will be selling merchandise.
At 7 p.m. a parade will begin at Fowler and Moffet roads and wind down Christmas Tree Lane on Henry Avenue and Vaughn Street.
Marching bands from Ceres and Central Valley high schools will lead the way through Christmas Tree Lane so the surrounding streets will be closed to vehicular traffic. Dance groups will include local dance studios as well as the schools. Groups like Westport 4-H, Legendary Hauling Corp., Ceres Sizzle, Ceres Blaze, California Landscaping and two different car clubs will also be participating. The Ceres Police SWAT truck and the antique San Francisco trolley car owned by Shane Parson will also roll in the parade.
The tradition of Christmas Tree Lane began in December 1961.
Because residents have complained, vendors will not be permitted to sell items along Christmas Tree Lane but spaces for up to 10 vendors will be set up in Smyrna Park along Moffett Road opposite the opening of the lane.
To get to Christmas Tree Lane from Hatch Road, travel east from Highway 99 to Moffett Road and turn right. Those coming from the south can use Whitmore Avenue to Moffett Road. The lane will be closed to vehicular traffic Saturday evening only to accommodate pedestrian strollers.
Hughson celebrates too
The community of Hughson will celebrate with its annual Christmas Festival at 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. A Santa’s Workshop will be held from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Hughson Senior Center, 2307 Fourth Street, Hughson. United Samaritan’s Foundation will serve hot chocolate and cookies at Centennial Park from 3:30 p.m. to the end of the event.
The kids can visit with Santa who is eager to pose for photos.
Those wishing to help brighten the holiday for an underprivileged child may bring a new unwrapped gift when the families visit Santa.
The Hughson Historical Museum will also be open this Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
The city of Hughson has cancelled its planned parade down Hughson Avenue.
