Christmas lights in the park to be turned on Friday night

A large evergreen tree has been planted in front of The W Club as the focal point of the annual holiday lighting.

One advantage of holding the lighting ceremony at The W Club instead of by the streetcar depot is that you can watch from inside in case the weather is crummy.

After the lighting ceremony, the lights will be on nightly through New Year’s Eve. Although the lights are a major attraction for those riding the Polar Bear Express, they’re also meant to be seen by those walking and riding along park roads.

“Christmas is coming,” Mayor Lynn Ragsdale said with emphasis during the City Council meeting on Monday.

Bryan Waggoner, director of parks and recreation, says to expect too many more lights than last year to count.

One display in particular to look for pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of Route 66. The light-and-sound program visible only to riders on the Polar Bear Express will also feature Route 66. (Tickets for Polar Bear Express have sold out, as usual. They go on sale online each year at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of November.

The “forest” of electric trees in the front of the park will be more full since there are eight new ones. They range in height from 10 to 40 feet. Also new will be 10 more actual trees that are wrapped with lights.

Christmas parade is next week

Four days after the lighting ceremony will be the Webb City Christmas Parade.

It will start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. There are 42 entries so far, plus the school bands. That’s seven more entries than last year.