The Thanksgiving festivities are at an end and the community is now turning its attention to the Christmas season, which for the town of Pahrump always includes the placement and lighting of the enormous Community Christmas Tree.
Placed smack dab in the middle of town in the Pahrump Nugget parking lot at the corner of Highway 160 and Highway 372, the Community Christmas Tree provides a focal point for the Pahrump Valley throughout the holidays, bringing smiles to those who pass by and providing a backdrop for families looking to snap a few Christmas keepsake photos each year.
The Community Christmas Tree is sponsored by Karen Jackson of KNYE Radio. Several years ago, Jackson, after having spent money each previous year to bring in a freshly cut tree that would be need to be scrapped at the end of the holidays, decided it was time for a change. She undertook an effort to raise the cash necessary to purchase an artificial Christmas tree and in 2014, the very first Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony took place, heralding the start of what was to become an annual event.
Over the past six years, the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony has become a beloved part of the local Christmas tradition, with Jackson organizing a public gathering to bring everyone together the Saturday following Thanksgiving to watch as the switch is officially flipped, illuminating the towering Christmas tree in all its glory.
This year the lighting ceremony is still going to take place but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not going to be quite the same. Residents will not be gathering in the Pahrump Nugget Parking lot for caroling and hot chocolate but instead will have the ability to watch the ceremony virtually, from the safety and comfort of their own homes.
“We are having a virtual tree lighting Saturday,” Jackson said when asked about the upcoming event. “People can go to the Valley Electric Association’s Facebook page to watch it.”
The 7th Annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 6 p.m. tomorrow evening, Saturday, Nov. 28. Residents can view the ceremony on Facebook by searching for @ValleyElectric
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com