Simple and joyful moments such as watching a 60-foot  tree light up in the heart of downtown continue to unite people of diverse backgrounds this holiday season.

Since Shekisha Haney, 24, was a kid, she has enjoyed coming to the Detroit  Tree Lighting Ceremony to watch the tree make the city sparkle to ring in the holiday spirit.

“The lights were beautiful,” Haney says. “Everything was set up really nice. The crowd was crazy, but beside that it was a really cool event.”

This year marks the 13^th Annual Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony produced by the Detroit 300 Conservancy, which is an affiliate of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. The ceremony kicked off its 13^th annual Quicken Loans Winter Magic season at Campus Martius Park which runs from November 18 to March 5.

“It’s a place where people can come together to really celebrate community and the city and it continues to grow every year,” says Robert Gregory, President of the Detroit 300 Conservancy.

The 60-foot Michigan-grown Norway Spruce tree, which was a gift from the DTE Energy Foundation to the city of Detroit, not only symbolizes the joy of the holidays, but it also helps unify a diverse community.

Detroit native April Jackson, 22, only enjoys the bright lights of the season and how it connects the city and Metro Detroit community.

“I believe the Christmas tree lighting at Campus Martius brings people of diverse backgrounds together in a special and unexpected way,” Jackson says. “Just seeing the beautiful lights illuminate the tree is almost like a moment of distraction from all the chaos that is going on in our society right now. The tree lighting brings a sense of joy to those who have the pleasure of experiencing it.”

The season of winter magic offers more than just a dazzling tree to the community. There is a variety of activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

One of the most popular activities at Campus Martius during the season is ice skating. The rink at Campus Martius continues to be a hit attracting many people from the city and region.

“The ice skating is for everybody,” Gregory says. “We’ve seen that over the years, it doesn’t matter what color you are, where you come from, people love going out on the ice rink.”

One of the new additions to the season is the restaurant, Parc, which according to their website has a menu “inspired by the influences and flavors of Detroit’s vast cultural communities, both past and present.”

Outside of eating delicious food, people can take photos with Santa Claus, ride on a horse-drawn carriage ride and watch street performances. Gregory strives to keep the program diverse with something for everyone.

“All the programming in the park is very family-friendly,” he says. “We try to make sure that we’ve done it pretty well with the kinds of music we have. We have a very wide range that represents all kinds of genres.”

The sounds throughout the season will range from gospel to R&B to country, rock and beyond. The inclusive environment is what makes people like Jackson a fan of the event.

“Everyone has different tastes and things that they enjoy,” she says. “So, it is very important the events are inclusive and that everyone feels welcome, even if it is something as simple as including different music genres.”

As the season continues to unravel, people can come to Campus Martius and witness the glow of the trees and lights firsthand as well as sip on some hot chocolate while strolling around the park.

The colorful and dazzling tree standing tall in the middle of the park continues to spread holiday cheer throughout the city and remind people of the joy of the season.

“Everybody comes down to see the tree so when it lights up, it just brings back that joy that everybody wants,” Haney says. “It kind of sets the mood for the city reminding us that whatever situation we’re in before, now is the time for the season to be cheerful and to be jolly to one another.”

  Campus Martius, Detroit 300 Conservancy, Detroit Downtown Partnership, DTE Energy