It will be the most wonderful time of the year – once again, when the annual “A Christmas in the Park and City Tree Lighting” spectacular is held on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 (3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.), at Massachusetts Park, 12170 Woodward Ave. (corner of Massachusetts Street) in Highland Park. The Parker Pride Foundation, the City of Highland Park, and Rehab Highland Park are inviting the community to join them for the festive event. Admission is free.
“It’s going to be a fun time again for the entire family,” said event founder and organizer Sydney Spight, who also oversees the Parker Pride Foundation. “There will be live music, treats, toy giveaways, arts & crafts, and a lot more for the community to enjoy.”
As in past years, Santa Claus will make a much-anticipated appearance, delighting the kids and kids at heart.
“Santa Claus will arrive at Massachusetts Park riding on the top of a fire truck,” Spight said. “He will then board a huge sleigh, interact with the children, and pass out toys to every kid possible. It’s going to be a really fun time.”
According to Spight, unlike past years, this year’s Christmas Holiday spectacular will feature live entertainment.
“We are excited that Loren D. Harper, featuring The David Whitfield Production Choir, will be performing a spectacular Christmas show,” Spight said. “Loren is a former Highland Parker and is planning to do a Christmas show like never-before-seen in the city.”
Spight added that Massachusetts Park, courtesy of Rehab Highland Park, will be transformed into a “Christmas Oasis,” to serve as a breathtaking backdrop for the Holiday festivities. At the conclusion of A Christmas in the Park’s portion of the event at 5:30 p.m., the City Tree Lighting
ceremony will begin immediately under the auspices of the City of Highland Park and Mayor Glenda McDonald.
Rehab Highland Park, a 501 C3 organization, focuses on community revitalization, historic preservation, and neighborhood beautification throughout the City of Highland Park. The organization is the brainchild of Maurice Turner and Blake Mims.
“We are thankful for the support given to the Parker Pride Foundation by Rehab Highland Park, not only for this event, but throughout the year,” Spight said. “They are a positive force for getting things done across Highland Park.”
Parker Pride Foundation, a non-profit organization, also gets things done on behalf of Highland Parkers. Founded by Spight about 16 years ago, the organization’s goal, according to its founder, is to empower Highland Park residents, communities, and schools under the banner “Bringing Life Back to a City That Once Thrived.”
Spight is looking forward to the annual Christmas event and hopes that the community will turn out to make this year’s event memorable.
“I can honestly say that this year’s ‘A Christmas in the Park and City Tree Lighting Ceremony’ will be way bigger and better than past years,” said Spight. “We want to continue building this event and others in the city to make positive things happen that will uplift our youth, adults, families, and the entire City of Highland Park.”
For more information about Highland Park’s “A Christmas in the Park and City Tree Lighting” event, contact Sydney Spight at 248.228.6369 or via email at sydneyspight66@gmail.com.
