Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Open House is a Go-Rain or Shine

The series of storms that began hitting the Bay Area on Wednesday, November 28 and is expected to continue through Sunday, December 2 won’t stop the annual tree lighting ceremony at the bottom of First Street and the Holiday Open House.

“We’re doing weather tracking, but at this point we’ve paid for everything,” said Benicia Main Street Executive Director Nancy Martinez.  “If it rains, people will have the opportunity to spend more time inside stores buying gifts.”

According to weather.com the heaviest rain should happen overnight Thursday and into the day on Friday and should begin to taper off around 2 p.m.

Martinez expects the actual tree lighting to happen around 6:30 p.m. Friday evening when Mayor Patterson will throw the switch t light the tree.

While the first storm in the series was dumping rain on the Bay Area, crews were busy putting lights on the palm trees lining the First Street Promenade in preparation for the Friday evening event.

Residents who need sandbags can get them at the City’s Corporation Yard, at 2400 East 2nd Street, and at the East E Street parking lot across from the Benicia Yacht Club.

Are you planning on attending the annual tree lighting ceremony in downtown Benicia?

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If there’s something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor JB Davis at 707-628-0051 or email him at benicia@patch.com.