Campus lit up with holiday lights

Bucky and friends ushered in the holiday season on Wednesday evening with the annual lighting of the Holiday Lights. 

Cold weather classics rang through the air thanks to the ETSU Brass Choir, and sugar cookies and hot chocolate kept the merrymakers warm for the night. President Noland opened the ceremony by welcoming all to the event and highlighting the night’s esteemed guest – Santa Claus himself.

Noland then handed the podium over to SGA President Aamir Shaikh who echoed Noland’s wishes and his own hopes for the crowd to enjoy themselves for the evening. 

Once the speeches were over, the plaza lit up with color. Blue and gold painted the bushes and trees of Alumni Plaza, and the ETSU Foundation Carillon blazed for all to see. Holiday slogans shined around campus, and the new CPA decorations sprung to life. Bucky made his way through the crowd with Santa, and the two posed for photos and wishes for both the holidays and finals.

This marks the sixth year of the event according to Jennifer Clements, ETSU’s chief branding officer.

“The event’s been going on since Dr. Noland’s first holiday here,” Clements said. “Our office works with facilities every year to help orchestrate and get everything together for this. So we work very, very closely with facilities in determining where lights are going to be placed and what new lights will be added. We also coordinate, you know, Santa. Working with the North Pole to bring Santa down for the event – that’s a big deal that we have to do.”

Clements reported that the number of attendees has increased every year, and that Wednesday was no exception. 

“Come join us,” Clements said. “It is the event of the season, and you don’t want to miss out on all the fun.”