MOSES LAKE — The holiday tree in downtown Moses Lake will blaze up bigger and brighter this year. 

“In years past, we’ve had a tree that was 16 feet tall,” said Mallory Miller, director of the Downtown Moses Lake Association, which sponsors the annual tree lighting event. “This year we have a tree that is going to be 24 feet tall.” 

The tree lighting, which is Nov. 15 this year, has served as Moses Lake’s kickoff to the holiday season for many years. The DMLA also decorates the downtown core for the season; members and volunteers were out in the early hours of Tuesday morning changing banners and hanging wreaths on light poles, DMLA President Denise Kinder said. 

The commercial-grade lights on both the big holiday tree and the trees lining Third Avenue are new this year, a donation from Spokane Teachers Credit Union, Miller said. They’ll stay up through February to make the winter a little less dreary. 

The actual tree lighting ceremony will be at 5:45, but festivities begin at 4 p.m. at Sinkiuse Square, with hot cocoa, free photos with Santa and Christmas music spun by DJ Dale Roth. Children are invited to take part in a scavenger hunt through downtown businesses.  

“There's going to be an item hidden in each business, and the kids have to go in and find the item and then bring it to the front desk or register of each store to get a stamp,” Miller said. “And then the business owner can either hide it again in the same spot or in a different spot.” 

Participating children have until the next day to finish the hunt, and those who do will be entered in a drawing for a basket of goodies from downtown businesses, Miller said. 

The celebration is the DMLA’s way of highlighting local businesses for the holiday shopping season, Miller said. With Thanksgiving, and consequently Small Business Saturday, coming so late in the month, it’s good to get a jump on the shopping and to remind people that what they want might be available in one of the small businesses that make up downtown Moses Lake. 

“People don't realize that there are smaller shops with (local owners),” she said. “Sometimes it might be more expensive, but you're supporting a local family rather than a corporate box store.” 

    Ivory Ruiz does crafts at a table set up at last year’s Downtown Moses Lake Association holiday tree lighting.
  

    Participants toast marshmallows at a previous Moses Lake holiday tree lighting. There will be heaters set up around Sinkiuse Square for this year’s event to hold back the chill.