“A star-studded entertainment and ice skating show will highlight the official 2013 Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony at Campus Martius Park. This year’s 10th Anniversary event celebrates the original grand opening of Campus Martius Park and the kickoff of Detroit’s Holiday season with a lineup that will complement the spectacular 19,000 multi colored lights on the 60 ft. Christmas Tree and the beautiful illuminated Detroit skyline. The Tree Lighting is one of Detroit’s very special traditions for the whole family and the entire community,” said Robert Gregory, President of the Detroit 300 Conservancy.
The Tree Lighting will include entertainment from national recording artists Peter Yarrow, from the folk music trio of Peter, Paul and Mary; Ethan Bortnick, a 12 year old singer/entertainer phenom who has headlined in Las Vegas and with an upcoming PBS concert special; Damian McGinty, Glee and Celtic Thunder star; Detroit music artists Alto Reed of the Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, L’Renee, a rising R&B singer who has toured with vocalist Kem, and Serieux, performing a classic Motown holiday mix. The Michigan Opera Theatre Children’s Chorus and soloist Bradley Wisk, Michigan Philharmonic Brass Quintet and Make-A-Wish performer Brad Grasl round out the entertainment.
World Championship figure skating returns to the Rink at Campus Martius Park for the 2013 Tree Lighting Ceremony with Kimmie Meissner, a 2006 Olympian and the first female skater to simultaneously hold the World, Four Continents and national titles. The Rink and Tree Lighting have previously featured several international champions including Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Todd Eldridge, Alyssa Czisny, Jerod Swallow and Elizabeth Punsalan to name a few.
Many of the top skaters in the world train in Detroit, so the Tree Lighting Ceremony always features up and coming future stars. This year will again feature skaters from the Arctic Figure Skating Club performing holiday classics and a special 10th Anniversary number presented by the Detroit Skating Club. These skate performances, outdoors, in the heart of Downtown Detroit, are a must see event. Mobile projection screens on Cadillac Square will broadcast the show live.
The Tree Lighting kicks off Quicken Loans’ Winter Magic Season.
Campus Martius Park is grateful to Quicken Loans for its presentation of the season of Winter Magic 2013, DTE Energy Foundation for its presentation of the Official Detroit Christmas Tree, and the wonderful support from all of our Official Sponsors including Compuware Corporation, McDonald’s, WXYZ Channel 7, Meridian Health Plan, Ernst & Young, GalaxE Solutions, Honigman, Marketing Associates, Absopure Water, Faygo, Frankenmuth Brewery, The Detroit People Mover, Detroit Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Autoliv, Clark Hill, Hines, Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, People’s Transit, good people popcorn, 93.9 The River, Real Detroit Weekly, D-Hive, Greko Printing, Blumz, Great Lakes Trophies, Hard Rock Café, Sterling Group, Michigan Christmas Tree Growers Association and many others.