Silver & Snowflakes tree-lighting Thursday

Organizers of the annual Silver & Snowflakes Tree Lighting celebration are counting on the weather to cooperate when hundreds of people gather Thursday in front of the Capitol to officially kick off the holiday season.

"We're expecting a good crowd, and the weather will be with us this year - no snow and no rain," said Maxine Nietz, whose Arlington Group puts together the event each year for Carson City's Redevelop-

ment Authority.

The hour-long event starts at 5:30 p.m. and includes music by the 300 voices of the Carson City fifth grade music ensemble accompanied by the Carson Middle School advanced handbell choir.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive in a horse-drawn wagon to hand out candy canes and greet children.

Gov. Jim Gibbons and Mayor Bob Crowell will speak, and Miss Nevada Christina Keegan and Miss Carson City Angelina Liguori are scheduled to appear.

The state tree and all of Carson Street will spring to life as the switch is thrown to light up the city.

Following the lighting of the state tree, traffic will be stopped on Carson Street while celebrants head across in a candlelight procession to the First Presbyterian Church at Musser and Nevada streets for the city's tree-lighting ceremony. Songs there will be performed by Tom and Mary Kay Aufrance.

The Arlington Square Ice Rink at Carson and Robinson streets will offer a Silver & Snowflakes discount, Nietz said.

More information is available at www.EventsNevada.com/treelighting.html or by calling 887-1294.