The new eastern red cedar at Harrell Park, just in time for Light Up Lakewood.
The tree’s absence was felt last year. The beloved deodar cedar died two years ago after years of helping Lakewood neighbors to usher in the holiday season.
Talulah Belle and Hess owner Elizabeth Mast, who started Light Up Lakewood 10 years ago as a customer appreciation event, says that in the early days, the tree was so small that “we were able to hand-decorate it and put lights on it ourselves.”
This year, for the 10th annual Christmas tree lighting event, the City of Dallas and the Lakewood Business Association planted a new eastern red cedar. (The small grassy corner at Gaston and Abrams is actually city property, Harrell Park.) The new tree was planted about 10 feet from the location of the original tree at the request of Karen Woodard, City of Dallas forester, who said the new tree is easier to see and in full view of sunshine.
The City of Dallas “very graciously” purchased the new tree through its reforestation fund, Mast says. Comerica Bank, one of the Light Up Lakewood sponsors, paid for it to be planted, and another sponsor, Reliant Energy, is covering the tree’s lighting, Mast says.
The Lakewood Business Association and the City of Dallas decided to replace the old tree earlier this year. They had a small window of opportunity for picking and planting a tree because planting season didn’t start until Nov. 1, and Light Up Lakewood is Nov. 30. “It was a big team effort to get it all together,” Mast says, and all seems to be well.
“The tree is settling into place,” Woodard says. “We may have to straighten it up a little bit, but that’s not uncommon for a tree that size. The soil is kind of loose, so we might have to straighten it a bit. It’s doing fine, though — getting lots of water.”
Want to see the tree lit up? Light Up Lakewood is 6-9 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 30. The annual tree lighting will be accompanied this year by a special tree dedication ceremony, says event coordinator Mandy Allen. The shops will stay open late and offer munchies and drinks. For the kids, there will be face painting, picture ops with Santa Claus, a bounce house and a petting zoo.
Throughout the evening, watch performances by Studio B, the Lipscomb Elementary choir, Woodrow Wilson High School Variations choir and band, and the Mata Elementary orchestra. The night wraps up with a performance from neighborhood band Restoration Blues. The event is free, but don’t forget to bring an unwrapped gift for the Lakewood Service League’s toy drive.
