BAYONNE, NJ – November 25, 2009. On Monday, November 23rd, that Bayonne Town Center kicked off the holiday season by hosting our Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony!  It was held on 25th Street & Broadway at 6pm and over 150 people were there along with Santa and Mayor Smith to see our Christmas tree lit up with over 1500 bright colored lights!  Also, all the trees in the district were lit up with over 46,000 white lights!  Make sure you take time this holiday season to stop by the Bayonne Town Center to enjoy the beauty of our display!

We were also privileged to have 2 very talented groups from Bayonne High School perform for our guests.  The Bayonne High Jazz Ensemble made their first ever appearance at our Tree Lighting and did a fantastic job!  We hope to have them back for many more tree lightings in the future.  Sweet Harmony, a Tree Lighting fixture, outdid themselves as they sang beautifully for the crowd.  We are very fortunate to have such talented students in Bayonne and would like to thank them for all their hard work in preparing for this event.

After a few performances by the BHS groups, Santa arrived, as always, on A Bayonne Fire Truck!  The children were very excited that the guest of honor had arrived!  Santa, along with Mayor Smith, then did the honors of lighting our Christmas Tree.  Santa also gave out goodie bags to all of the children that attended as they each visited with him after the tree was lit.  We were also able to have a Christmas Train ride our guests down Broadway!  Thank you to everyone who attended this event and remember to shop the Bayonne Town Center this Holiday Season!

Also, please remember our upcoming events:  Horse & Buggy rides with Santa on Dec. 5th from 11am-3pm on 22nd Street & Broadway; Festival of Lights Menorah Lighting Ceremony, Dec. 14th at 4:30pm, Networking Café; Breakfast with Santa, Dec. 19th from 8:30am-11:30am, Fire House Rec. Center; Caroling Down Broadway, Dec. 19th from 12:30-2:30pm throughout the BTC.  For more info on these events, please call the BTC at 201-339-9409 or check us out on the website.

These events would be impossible without support from our sponsors: The Bayonne UEZ, Bayonne Medical Center, Shop Rite of Bayonne, Bayonne Community Bank, Provident Bank, Pamrapo Savings Bank, Gormley, Lo Re, Murphy Insurance, Aaron’s Gold, Hughes & Finnerty, European Day Spa, Colonial House of Pets, Wise Hearing, AT&T Wireless (592 Broadway), and CKO Kickboxing.

Don’t forget to write your Christmas wishes to Santa!  Drop off your letter in Santa’s special red mailbox at the corner of 25th Street & Broadway from November 24th-Christmas Eve.

Remember, there is FREE PARKING in all MUNICIPAL LOTS for the entire month of December!!!

Allison Lindquist visiting with Santa Clause

Our beautiful Christmas Tree

The BHS Jazz Ensemble

Sweet Harmony with Santa Clause

John and Cindy Hume aboard the BTC’s Christmas Train