Ho! Ho! Ho! Sleigh your way to the annual City of Kenmore Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 6 at Kenmore City Hall, 18120 68th Ave. N.E. The free community event starts at 6 p.m. and concludes at 7 p.m. Parking is available on-site and at the old Northshore Park & Ride, 18199 68th Ave. N.E.

Enjoy performances from local groups while having your child’s photo taken with Santa Claus or participating in the holiday arts and crafts area. Help count down the lighting of the tree with Santa Claus at 6:05 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Donations

Help those in need this holiday season by donating nonperishable food items to support the Hopelink food bank serving Northshore and Kirkland residents. The food drive will be held from Monday, Nov. 26 through Friday, Dec. 7. Cash and food donations will be gratefully accepted at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and at Kenmore City Hall, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

New this year, there will be a community Christmas tree inside City Hall. Please donate an ornament and/or a small stuffed animal to decorate the tree. Ornaments can be homemade or purchased. The plan is to reuse the ornaments and add new ones each year. Stuffed animals will be donated to local charities prior to Christmas. Your contributions can be brought to City Hall on or before December 6 during the Tree Lighting festivities.

Thank you to sponsors

A special thank you to the 2012 Community Event Sponsors: Grocery Outlet, Banner Bank, Bastyr University, Puget Sound Energy, Allied Waste, Peoples Storage, Snapdoodle Toys, Kenmore Camera, Northshore Utility District, Fazzari Marketing, KBCS 91.3fm, Kenmore Reporter, Kenmore Veterinary, BowWow Fun Towne, Maser’s Grooming & Pet Boutique, D’Maries Doggie Boutique, Ostroms Drug & Gift, Jet City Printing, and See’s Trees and Excavation.

For more information, visit www.kenmorewa.gov/events.