Community Celebrates Holiday Spirit with Christmas Tree Lane Lighting

The Altadena Christmas Tree Lane Association's Winter Festival is celebrating its 105th anniversary of lighting the deodar cedars along Santa Rosa Avenue, also known as Christmas Tree Lane. The event is set to start at 3 p.m. today, with the lighting ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m.

This year, the festival is expected to draw a record crowd of around 15,000 people, as the community comes together after the Eaton Fire in January, which devastated parts of Altadena. The event is free, with the exception of food and drink, and traffic will be blocked on Santa Rosa Avenue until 9 p.m. to allow attendees to safely walk the nearly one-mile route.

Mikayla Arevalo, the association's volunteer coordinator and communications director, noted that last year's event attracted about 12,000 people, but this year, community support has surged. The Disney Company is contributing by creating a special Disney Voluntears Village featuring festive decor and activities, as many of their employees were affected by the Eaton fire.

Santa Claus will also be present, listening to Christmas wishes from children and families. Volunteers have been preparing for the festival since October, creating new strings of lights to hang on the 135 deodar cedars lining the street.

The association offers $40 memberships to help offset costs, available for $20 for seniors and students.