Downtown lights up to begin holiday season
Temple Square has been celebrating the holidays with lights since the 1960s and the festivities have become world-famous.
Grant and Tania Tracy moved to Utah from Sweden to go to school and have been looking forward to their first Temple Square lighting.
"I came here because I heard about it from people all over the world and I wanted to see the lights at Temple Square," said Tania Tracy.
The lights were turned on at dusk without a special lighting ceremony this year because they are now automated, but the result was still exciting.
"It's the best light show in the universe. The lighting at Temple Square is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," said Grant Tracy. "It's a special experience for both of us."
Across town, a celebration with Santa and music by Kurt Bestor marked the lighting of trees at Gallivan Plaza.
"It's magical. The holidays begin downtown and it's the place to be," said Danica Farley, spokesperson for the Downtown Alliance.
More than 19 miles of LED lights will be lining the city streets through December. The lights along Salt Lake City's streets are offset by Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky Program, so the bill isn't footed by the city's taxpayers.
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