Community members bundled up and headed to Fountain Square on Saturday evening to watch mayor Daniel Biss lead the Christmas tree lighting at the city’s annual Holiday Light Celebration.
The event, hosted by Downtown Evanston, began at 5 and ended around 7:30 p.m. The night’s festivities included performances by the Evanston Children’s Choir, Northwestern a cappella group Purple Haze and circus artists from the Actor’s Gymnasium. Colectivo coffee provided warm cocoa.
Santa leads a sing-along. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
The Evanston Children’s Choir sings three songs for the crowd. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
A pianist accompanies the choir. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
The choir singers are all bundled up. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
Heather Manoba and son Julian take a picture with Santa. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
Northwestern a cappella group Purple Haze gives a brief performance. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
Two friends, Aneya Tripathi and Anandini Vijay pose for a picture. (Photo by Adina Keeling) 
Circus artists from the Actor’s Gymnasium roamed Fountain Square. (Photo by Adina Keeling)
Biss took the podium to speak about the importance of shopping local. He encouraged community members to consider buying their Christmas gifts from local businesses.
Santa Claus, who traveled all the way from the North Pole, led a Christmas sing-along before Biss invited several eager children to help him switch on the lights of the large Christmas tree standing in Fountain Square.
“My heart is full seeing so many people here,” Biss said to the crowd.