FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A Fort Wayne Christmas tradition returns for its 17th year on November 19th.
The annual Christmas on Broadway is set to fill the streets of Broadway from Creighton to Park Avenues at 5:30pm, with the lighting of 40,000 lights on a massive 40-foot tree to be installed at Broadway Plaza in front of the Shine & Hardin law offices. The lights are being sponsored by the Kelly Cup Champion Fort Wayne Komets, and will be lit by members of the Turnstone Paralympics team, which participated in this year’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
This year’s tree has been donated by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Baughman of Fort Wayne.
The celebration will include a parade on Broadway, featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus aboard a 1976 Pierce Fire Engine led by members of the Turnstone Paralympics Team, cast members from the Fort Wayne Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker, and the Fort Wayne Community Schools “b Instrumental” program. The parade route will begin at Broadway and Creighton and will travel south to the Broadway Plaza.
Attendees are asked to line both sides of Broadway along the parade route and then make their way to the Broadway Plaza, where Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be handing out Santa hats and stockings to all of the children in attendance.
“From its inception 17 years ago when a mere 150 people gathered to view the lighting to the crowds which now are in the thousands, we are proud to continue the tradition of this family-oriented event which marks the official beginning of the Fort Wayne holiday season,” said law partners, Steve Shine and Tom Hardin of Shine & Hardin, LLP, the creators and organizers of this event.
As in the past, this year’s tree lighting and fireworks display will be telecast live on ABC 21, beginning at 5:00 p.m., when ABC 21 telecasts their entire 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. newscasts live from the Broadway Plaza.
Joining the corporate sponsors this year will be Indiana’s largest health care network, IU Health, and Federated Media, whose radio stations include WOWO, 97.3 WMEE, 1380 The Fan, Big 92.3, 98.9 The Bear, and K-105. Other sponsors include Lake City Bank, Chuck and Lisa Surack/Sweetwater, Prairie Farms Dairy and Trinity English Lutheran Church.
WOWO will also kick off its 74th Annual Penny Pitch at 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of the tree lighting (November 19th), broadcasting live from the Broadway Plaza. Find full details on Penny Pitch here.
