Stage Set For Danvers Square Tree Lighting, Santa's Arrival

DANVERS, MA — A 35-foot-tall Blue Spruce will greet Santa Claus when he makes the trek via a firetruck from the Danvers Holiday Festival at Endicott Park to Danvers Square for Saturday's annual tree lighting event.

The towering tree donated by Keri Smith Holian of Robin Hill Road went up in Danvers Square on Monday ahead of a busy day of seasonal spirits planned for this weekend.

This year's event begins at 10 a.m. with the Holiday Festival at Endicott Park where hours of yuletide fun will include arts and crafts, games, face painting, hayrides, a bonfire, entertainment, cocoa, cookies and photos with Santa starting at 2 p.m.

The Danvers Fire Department will then give Santa a ride down to the Square where the Danvers High School Marching Band will herald his arrival to celebrate the tree lighting at 5 p.m.

Those wishing to have photos with the big man in the red suit should plan on doing so at Endicott Park.

The day will conclude with the flashlight candy cane hunt at Plains Park beginning at 6:15 p.m.

This year's Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting is a collaboration of the Danvers Educational Enrichment Partnership, Endicott Park and the Danvers Recreation Department.

More information on sponsorship opportunities can be found here or by emailing deep@danvers.org.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)