Oregon Live - Christmas Tree-Lighting Ceremony Highlights Daylong Hillsboro Holly Days Festival

News Article

By Luke Hammill

Hillsboro welcomed the holiday season with singing, eating and a tree-lighting ceremony at its annual Holly Days festival on Saturday in the city's downtown area.

The event was organized by city staff and the nonprofit responsible for the Hillsboro Tuesday Marketplace. Many of the summer marketplace's familiar vendors were on hand again for the Holly Days festival, which ran from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on a sunny, chilly day.

After a performance from the Hillsboro Community Youth Choir, City Council President Aron Carleson emceed a tree-lighting ceremony at the Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza. A crowd of hundreds helped her count down from five and cheered when the tree lit up.

Earlier in the day, Carleson and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici visited downtown shops to support Small Business Saturday.

"As we start the holiday shopping season, it's important to remember our local businesses and the role they play in cities like Hillsboro," Bonamici said in a statement. "Money spent at small businesses stays in our communities. Washington County is home to many new manufacturing companies, restaurants, and tech startups, all of which bring jobs to the region."

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