MOSES LAKE - The lights went on downtown Saturday night as the Moses Lake Business Association held its annual tree lighting.

Not that tree - not the Christmas-pictures-with-Santa-and-carols kind of tree. The MLBA lit the permanent trees downtown from Alder to Beech streets, MLBA Executive Director Jasmyne DeBeaumont said. "It kind of kicks off the holiday season."

Wreaths and "Season's Greetings" banners went up downtown last week, and all the trees along the same span got white lights for the season. The wreaths are on light poles, and residents were invited to come downtown, pick a pole and flip the switch as DeBeaumont counted it down.

The decorations go up as soon as possible after Halloween, she said, and the tree lights are turned on as soon as possible after that. "You never know what the weather is going to be like," she said, and that ensures the decorations are up by the time of the Ag Parade in early December.

Payge Behner's mom held her up as the countdown worked from 10 to zero, and Payge hit the switch and the wreath lit up. Wreaths lit up down the length of the street, and white lights lit the trees. The wreaths and banners may come down, but the lights will stay up through the end of January.

The band Cover Story provided music, and MLBA brought cookies and cocoa for the crowd.