Toronto begins holiday season preparations with arrival of Christmas tree

The holiday season is getting underway in Toronto on Saturday with the installation of a Christmas tree that will stand almost 17 metres tall.

The City of Toronto announced its naturally grown spruce tree from Baldwin, Ont. will be setup in Nathan Phillips Square by a crew of seven people over the course of eight hours.

The tree will then take three days to settle before it can be decorated with lights and 500 ornaments, the city said. The tree will remain on display throughout the holiday period, before being turned into mulch for tree planting.

The Cavalcade of Lights, which will cover the area in front of city hall with thousands of lights, is scheduled to begin on Nov. 26.

The day will be marked by ice skating performances, musical events and the lighting of the new tree at 8:30 p.m.

by Global News