Launch of festive season

Hamilton's Christmas Tree is 27 metres tall to the tip of the star and will dominate Garden Place for the festive season. Now the search is on for a Lighting Luminary to switch it

Hamilton's Christmas Tree will come to life this weekend as the lights are switched on at Garden Place on Saturday night.

The event, which starts at 5pm, launches the city's Christmas season.

This year will be the first year the Christmas Tree's lights will synchronise with a recording of the song The Lights of Christmas sung by British singer Kerrie Ironside.

The song is about the universal appeal of festive lights and their positive effect on communities, families and individuals. It covers all aspects of the topic from the spectacle of large scale shopping and public precincts, to neighbourhood street displays, and through to the emotional importance of intimate lights within the home.

Ms Ironside has been singing professionally from her mid-teens. She lists among her major influences the American singers Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and Darlene Love.

Synchronising the music with the tree lights has been made possible by father and son team Larry and Eric Coufmann who have been working to provide the public with a different lighting spectacle.

On the evening there will be will be food outlets, craft stalls, free entertainment, characters, stilt walkers, balloon makers, band, choir and dance, performance in the build-up to the winner of the Lightning Luminary competition turning on the Christmas tree lights.

A letter box will be placed next to the tree from December 1 for children to post letters to Santa and Santa's Postman will be at the tree lighting to take the letters .

Children can put letters in the mail box until December 20.

The annual Christmas parade will take to the streets at 3pm on Sunday December 10 with new entries from local businesses and organisations.