|
|
|
 Chandler's Unique Tumbleweed Tree
& Annual Tree Lighting Festivities
Join us on Saturday, December 5, 2009, in celebrating a unique southwestern tradition that draws visitors from far and wide during the holidays. This community festival also includes the beautiful Parade of Lights. This year marks the 53rd Tumbleweed Tree built in Historic Downtown Chandler.
Event Schedule
- San Marcos Ave. Stage Entertainment About Our Performers
4:30-4:50 p.m. Totality & Talent Team
5:00-5:20 p.m. Anna Collins
5:30-5:50 p.m. Studio 3 Performing Arts Academy
6:00-6:20 p.m. Heat Wave Dance & Cheer
8:40-9:00 p.m. Arizona Dance Academy
- Arizona Place Stage Entertainment About Our Performers
4:30-5:00 p.m. Dance Kids USA
5:00-5:30 p.m. Tri-City Christian Chorale
5:30-6:00 p.m. Tri-City Christian Brass Ensemble
6:00-7:00 p.m. Masters Conservatory Suzuki Strings
- Traveling Performances: Throughout Dr. A.J. Chandler Park
- Santa's House: Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, next to Tumbleweed Tree
4:30-9:00 p.m.* Hey kids, take a free picture with Santa!
* Closed during the Parade of Lights
- Parade of Lights:
7:00 p.m. Watch floats, vehicles and community groups light up the streets of
Chandler with their creative display of holiday enthusiasm
- Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Ceremony: Dr. A.J. Chandler Park
8:00 p.m. Watch the most unique tree light up the night when the Mayor flips the switch
and the holiday season in Historic Downtown Chandler officially begins.
About Our Performers
 We are proud to present the following entertainment at this year's festivities:
- Dance Kids USA
Bet you thought Swim Kids USA just had swimming?!? Well, these great performers are part of Swim Kids USA/ Dance Kids program. Dancing is a great complement to Swim Kids USA swim and gym lessons. Like all the classes at Swim Kids USA, dance classes have a low student to teacher ratio so they get more hands on instruction from highly trained instructors. The environment is low on pressure and high on fun!
- Heat Wave Dance and Cheer
Heat Wave Dance and Cheer is family owned and operated studio in the beautiful Ocotillo Community. We have a multitude of dance and cheer classes for ages 2 through adult. We also have a Performance Dance Team, a Performance Hip Hop Team, and a Competition Dance and Hip Hop Team. Our teams perform and compete throughout the valley as well as compete nationally. We have award winning choreographers and instructors with extensive training. You will find a family atmosphere, nurturing instruction, and lasting friendships at Heat Wave. Please visit our website for schedule and studio hours.
- Copperstar Carolers
 Our holiday carolers are experienced, professionally trained singers and seasoned performers. Copperstar Carolers sing a wide variety of traditional and popular carold in beautiful harmony. Our carols are sung a capella (without accompaniment) and performers will stroll through the event. Founded in Gilbert, Arizona, Copperstar Repertory Co. is building a reputation for artistic achievement that has attracted both local and national support. Copperstar Rep prides itself on growing a highly recognizable brand that will become synonymous with quality, innovation, and dazzling musical theatre in the East Valley. Our goal is to bring the joy of live performance to thousands of people each season through our performances and education outreach programs. Copperstar Repertory Co. is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to entertain, educate and enrich community members of all ages by offering high quality productions, providing professional instruction in performing arts, and creating performance opportunities for Arizona’s youth and adults.
 Masters Conservatory Suzuki Strings
Believing that music is the gift that will shape a lifetime, The Master’s Conservatory of Music & Chandler School of Fine Arts Combined Suzuki Strings, ranging from beginner to advanced skill levels, and currently ranging from ages 2 – 63 years old, have focused their combined energies into hours of individual, professional training in order to serve the community at the Chandler Festival of Lights in a pleasing performance of traditional, classically-styled carols. www.BeautifulMusic.info.
- Tri-City Chorale and Brass Ensemble
Tri-City Christian Academy features select high school students in Chorale and Brass Ensemble, ensembles designed to develop young musicians who share their music with the community. They will be performing classic Christmas carols under the direction of Pastor Dave Stertzbach and Mrs. Susan Yuen. Tri-City Christian Academy is a private Christian school recently relocated to Chandler at 2211 W Germann Road.
 
Parking Tips
Event Parking & Parade Route Map
With various streets closed for the evening’s activities, it is suggested that everyone arrive early and plan accordingly. Suggested parking locations based your entering location:
- From the Northeast
Take Chandler Blvd. west and make a right onto Delaware St.
Either park in P1, P2 or P3
- From the Northwest
Take Chandler Blvd. east and make a left onto California St.
Park in the Center for the Arts/Chandler High School parking lots
Take Chandler Blvd. east and make a right onto California St.
Park in P8
- From the Southeast
Take McQueen Rd. to Frye Rd., go west to Delaware St. and make right
Either park in P6 or P7 on Chicago St. or P4 or P5 on Boston St.
- From the Southwest
Take Alma School Rd. to Frye Rd., go east to Delaware St. and make left
Either park in P6 or P7 on Chicago St. or P4 or P5 on Boston St.
Vendor Information
There is no vendor space remaining for the 2009 event. Please check back with us next year for more information on space for the 2010 Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Festival.
Video Profile
Watch this 2008 video produced by the East Valley Tribune showing how Chandler Parks crews construct the Tumbleweed Tree:
A Community Tradition
This unique Chandler tradition began in 1957, when Chandler resident Earl Barnum raised the idea of a tumbleweed tree after he saw a similar one in Indiana built out of cone-shaped chicken wire with pine boughs stuck in the holes. Many members of the community helped create the first tree in Chandler using tumbleweeds that they gathered from around town. Little did these folks know that they were the first to do such a thing and that it would continue as an annual Christmas tradition from then on. In fact, Chandler is the only city in the southwestern United States that has such a tree!
How is it done?
First, members of the City's Park Operations Division gather tumbleweeds from the outskirts of the City. With Chandler's rapid growth and development, fewer stretches of empty land are within the City limits, which makes it harder to find tumbleweeds in large quantities. So, the Park crews must start collecting the tumbleweeds earlier each year.
Once the tumbling tumbleweeds are collected, between 1,500-2,000 are used to adorn a 35-foot tall wire frame. Then, the tumbleweeds are sprayed with 25 gallons of white paint, 20 gallons of flame retardant and dusted with 65 pounds of glitter. The tree is later adorned with approximately 1,200 holiday lights that give it a spectacular look, day or night.
The lighting of the Tumbleweed Tree draws a large crowd, with more than 12,000 expected to watch the Mayor and members of the City Council flip the switch to light this magnificent sight.
The Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Parade of Lights (starting at 7 p.m.) help to bring our community together to kick-off the holidays.
Chandler Special Events Hotline
480-782-2735
|
|