SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The holidays are officially underway in South Lake Tahoe after a large crowd watched the tenth annual lighting of the 65-foot tree at Heavenly Village on Friday night.
Nashville’s Mark Mackay, who started his career by performing at Basecamp Pizza. returned to the Heavenly Village stage and got the crowd singing and cheering with his set of holiday classics. Organizers report “thousands” of people were at the Village to watch the festivities.
State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil spoke to those gathered and presented organizers Dreu Murin and Gary Casteel with a proclamation that recognizes the Heavenly Village Tree Lighting as a signature holiday event for the region and honors Murin’s and the Casteels’ decade-long leadership in bringing the annual event to South Lake Tahoe.
El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf also praised the celebration’s impact and seamless coordination: “The Heavenly Village Tree Lighting is one of those moments where you can genuinely feel the spirit of Tahoe,” said Leikauf. “Thousands of families came together safely to celebrate the holidays, and the collaboration between Murin, the organizer, businesses, and first responders made it an outstanding community event. It’s something our region can be proud of.”
What has become a highly anticipated tradition, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue brought their truck with a firefighter climbing the ladder to the top of the tree as the crowd counted down to the firefighter touching the star, and lighting the tree. Fireworks erupted around the tree, filling the Village with a canopy of light.
Also speaking were South Lake Tahoe City Manager Joe Irvin and Police Chief Jeff Roberson.
“Heavenly Village is the heartbeat of South Lake Tahoe,” said Irvin. “This weekend proved once again that Tahoe shows up for its community, for the holidays, and for each other.”
“This was the largest turnout we have ever had,” said Murin, spokesperson for the Village. “The energy was electric, and it marks how the Heavenly Village is Lake Tahoe’s #1 destination. Moreover, it is just how central Heavenly Village has become to the holiday experience in the Tahoe Basin. Thank you to all who make this possible, including the Casteel Family, Visit Lake Tahoe, the Tourism Improvement District, and all the locals and visitors who came to celebrate.”
“This weekend shows just how powerful this community can be when we come together,” said Gary Casteel Jr., president & CEO of TSI Investments / The Shops at Heavenly Village. “The turnout was incredible, our businesses were full, and the Tree Lighting has truly become one of the most iconic holiday events in the region. I’m proud of our team, our partners, and our community for making Heavenly Village the heart of Tahoe’s holiday season.”
The tree had been cut down by Kenny Curtzwiler and his crew from K & K Services last week, a tree that was part of a forest thinning project.
The milestone ceremony marked the official kickoff to the 2025 Heavenly Holidays series, which will bring more than five weeks of family entertainment, concerts, ice-skating shows, Santa appearances, food drives, community programming, and weekly activations throughout the Village.
For more information on Heavenly Holidays, visit https://theshopsatheavenly.com/.
Information from Dreu Murin, Heavenly Village, and photos are from StayLocal Tahoe.
