The Castro Lights Up For The Holidays

The Castro Lights Up For The HolidaysPhoto: Roy McKenzie/Hoodline
Roy
Published on November 28, 2014
The Castro is set to get a whole lot brighter, as 29 Castro-area merchants will be lighting up the neighborhood this holiday season. Merchants along Market Street from Castro to Sanchez will be sponsoring lighting on street trees, with 300 soft lights wrapped around the trunk and major branches of 31 separate trees.

The tree lights, organized by the Castro Merchants Associationwere installed earlier this week and will be flipped on daily from 4:30pm to 2:30am through the holidays. The full list of all 29 tree sponsors will be listed on the holiday banner which will debut today at 18th and Castro streets.



Also, if you are looking to get into the holiday spirit with a tree to place in your house or business this holiday season, a Christmas tree lot has sprung up at the old recycling center space on the east end of the Safeway parking lot. Most of the other lots around the neighborhood, including the former Christmas tree lot at Market and Sanchez, have been claimed or are being prepped for new housing developments, so you'll have to check out the new lot or range farther afield for your tree this year.

Finally, for more holiday cheer, the Castro Holiday tree-lighting ceremony will take place at the Bank of America at Castro and 18th this coming Monday, December 1st. Hosted by the First Lady of The Castro Donna Sachet, the event starts at 6pm and will include performances by the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Freedom Band, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, plus words from local dignitaries and "a special visit from the North Pole."