City votes to move Christmas tree ceremony

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — At Wednesday night’s Wilmington City Council meeting, Council decided to stop the city’s annual lighting of the World’s Largest Living Christmas Tree.

The ceremony will be moved from the old tree at the Sweeney water plant to the Rotary Wheel at Greenfield Lake. The city says the old oak tree is no longer capable of holding lights.

The move would also mean a larger celebration coordinated by the rotary club beginning next year.

“I think that’s a tremendous community effort and humanitarian effort on behalf of all of our people and I think it’s going to be a great thing in the future so a new tradition begins,” Mayor Bill Saffo said.

This year, the downtown Christmas tree on Water Street will be lit as well as a cedar at the Rotary Wheel.