Kennywood Tree Undergoing Big Addition For 'Holiday Lights' Show

WEST MIFFLIN (KDKA)- The Bucket Truck Brigade is busy attaching a thick layer of fur to the frame for a 90-foot tree: the centerpiece of this year's "Holiday Lights" show.

"It towers over everything here in this area," says Kennywood spokesman Nick Paradise. "And we think it's going to really be impressive when you see it at night, with all the lights on it. There are about 250,000 LED lights on this tree. So, we think it's going to be really impressive, come Holiday time."

He estimates it will take about 1,000 man, and woman, hours to assemble the frame and attach the branches. The tree will enable the lights show to literally attain new heights. All told, the event will feature more than a million lights, powered by 12 miles of extension cords.

"We've got pictures with Santa Claus at 'The Racer,'" the spokesman adds. "We have different stations where you can decorate Christmas cookies. We'll have a nightly reading of 'The Night Before Christmas.'"

Popular rides will be bathed in light. More than 50 live-pine trees will be added, lending a sense of perspective to the giant that towers above them.

"From what we've heard," Paradise says, "what our research has found is it will be not only be tallest tree in Pittsburgh, not only the tallest Christmas tree in Pennsylvania, but possibly the tallest tree this side of the Mississippi."

The fifth-annual "Holiday Lights" opens to the public the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter