Broomfield kicks off the festive season with its holiday tree-lighti…

Broomfield’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony returns for an evening filled with cheer, carolers, free cookies and a special guest from the North Pole.

At the George DiCiero City and County Building at 1 Des Combes Drive on Dec. 1, thousands of lights will decorate the surrounding trees to usher in the holiday season. Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta and the City Council will begin the ceremony at 6 p.m. with a warm welcome and lighting of the mayor’s tree, a 25-foot tall Colorado Blue Spruce. The event will include free cookies, hay rides, musical guests and a visit from Santa.

For over 10 years, one of the seven musical acts performing at the event has delivered a unique choir performance without singing a single word.

“We don’t sing at all, we translate every song into American Sign Language and perform with music in the background,” Jenna Harris, co-director of the Mountain View Elementary Sign Language Choir said.

Harris said that she and fellow director Elaina Cascini translate a series of songs for every performance. The translations are a mix of ASL and modified signs for performance value and ease of learning. The final product is a unique show that allows deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees to experience caroling in an accessible way.

“I like practicing and being able to pick up other signs and learn new words to sign to deaf and hard-of-hearing people,” said Ellie Ward, a fifth grader in the choir. “It lets me connect with other people who know sign language, too.”

Harris and Cascini said they often hear from parents in the audience at their performances that watching the sign language choir gives them hope, knowing that their deaf or hard-of-hearing child will be accepted.

“I like showing how to include people, and that even if they have hearing loss, they’re still the same,” Ward added.

The sign language choir’s tree-lighting performance begins at 7:15 p.m. on the outdoor stage.

Performing at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby, the Broomfield Civic Chorus will show off its unique repertoire of holiday tunes, including a swing version of “Deck the Halls” and “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” a Christmas decorating guide from “Elf” the musical.

Director Susan McKnight said that to be a part of the ensemble no audition is necessary as it welcomes anyone who has a love of singing to join the community. The chorus normally performs five times per year and will host its annual holiday concert on Dec. 10.

The Coyote Ridge Elementary Chorus is also joining the musical stylings, a group that has been performing at the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony for over 15 years.

Fifth-grader Berkeley Celius said that even though she’s been singing for longer, her three years in the choir has allowed her to sing even more, and that the tree-lighting concert is most fun when the kids can enjoy the festivities after their performances.

“I really like when we can just be out there and have fun singing and don’t have to worry,” she said.

Chorus director Stephanie Richards Harris said that the shows display more than just music, as it’s also an opportunity for socialization and outreach.

“It’s definitely a community-building thing, a lot of the parents come out and the kids get to see each other outside of school. I like to do a lot of community-building things with music,” she said. “And of course, Santa is there and they usually have treats and some activities for the kids.”

Coyote Ridge Elementary Choir will perform at 6:15 p.m. on the outdoor stage following Santa’s arrival.

The tree lighting is free and open for the community to attend.