The City of Meridian’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is set to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday on the city hall lawn.

The City of Meridian will officially ring in the holiday season with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m. Tuesday on the city hall lawn.

The annual lighting of the city’s 34-foot Christmas tree is a holiday tradition of music, celebration and family fun. The event, which has been going on for more than two decades, is free and open to the public, said Terrence Davis, the city’s director of cultural affairs.

“It is truly a family event,” he said encouraging residents to turn out for the tree lighting. “We are coming together as a city, and we are singing together, we are praying together, and we are lighting the city’s annual Christmas tree together.”

This year’s event will include a performance by the Magnolia Middle School Choir and Carol Merrill Academy’s Corps de Ballet. Davis said two Miss Merry Meridian winners, Bentley Mars and Carson Minchew, also will be on hand for the lighting.

With temperatures expected to be in the mid-40s by early evening Tuesday, Davis suggested dressing warmly. A couple of the city’s partners also will be giving away cocoa and cookies.

Davis said the best place to park for the ceremony will be in the city’s parking garage across the street from the city hall lawn, which is located at 601 23rd Avenue.

The tree lighting ceremony is the first of two holiday events hosted by the City of Meridian this week. On Saturday, the city will present “Candy Cane Christmas Parade,” its annual holiday parade in downtown Meridian. A favorite of old and young alike, the Christmas parade will feature colorful, festive floats, marching bands and Santa Claus himself.

Businesses, schools, dance companies, service clubs and nonprofit organizations with floats in the parade will begin lining up at 3 p.m. with the Christmas parade officially set to start at 5 p.m. The parade will follow its normal route through downtown Meridian. Serving as grand marshal of this year’s Christmas parade will be the business Lockheed Martin, Davis said.