WCVB to Air “HOLIDAY LIGHTS” Annual Tree Lighting Program on November 30 at 7PM

BOSTON, MA— November 28, 2022 – Get ready to usher in the holiday season with “Holiday Lights,” WCVB Channel 5’s award-winning broadcast of the City of Boston’s official tree-lighting. Sure to make your spirits bright, the star-studded show will feature a variety of musical artists and will be hosted by Chronicle co-anchors Anthony Everett and Shayna Seymour. The show will be televised live from the Boston Common on Thursday, November 30th from 7-8 PM and will stream live and on demand on Very Local powered by WCVB. This year marks the city’s 82nd annual tree lighting celebration on the Common and the 52nd year that Nova Scotia has gifted a tree to the people of Boston. The ‘Tree for Boston,’ a 40-year-old, 45-foot white spruce tree, will grace Boston Common throughout the holiday season and is an annual gift to Boston from Nova Scotia as a thank you for sending emergency aid to the province after the explosion in Halifax Harbor over 100 years ago. Performances Include: P.J. Morton, multi-Grammy winning songwriter and producer, and Maroon 5 band member Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation’s Spectrum of Sound Choir, an inclusive choir of autism self-advocates From Broadway in Boston, a performance by the Tony-Award winning, smash hit, Moulin Rouge! The Musical Còig, folk music Celtic supergroup from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia Owen ‘O’Sound’ Lee, musician, songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer from Toronto, OntarioThe broadcast will culminate with a countdown to the lighting of the tree by event host, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. Mayor Wu will be joined by the Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia and Santa Claus himself, for the lighting and will close with a pyrotechnic display.This year’s tree hails from Stewiacke, Nova Scotia and is a gift from the Gourley Family. The ‘Tree for Boston’ is a deeply rooted tradition in Nova Scotia. On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbor, causing a devastating explosion. It killed nearly 2,000 people and left hundreds severely injured and homeless. This year marks the 106th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion. For half a century, the ‘Tree for Boston’ has become the province’s annual thank you to Boston for sending medical personnel and supplies to Nova Scotia during a great time of need and within hours of the tragedy. The broadcast is made possible by a partnership with The City of Boston Parks and Recreation, WCVB Channel 5, and The Province of Nova Scotia.HOW TO WATCH:WCVB Channel 5: LIVE Televised “Holiday Lights” Special on WCVB Channel 5, Thursday, November 30th at 7-8PM and Streaming Live on Very Local Boston. Encore Presentation of “Holiday Lights” on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24 from 4-5PM.Very Local Powered By WCVB Channel 5: Live Streaming as well as on-demand access to Holiday Lights 2023 will be available exclusively through the Very Local app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, or through the app store on your mobile device. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOADAbout WCVB Channel 5WCVB is Boston’s broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston. Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content. In addition to 47 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation’s longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable. WCVB, Boston’s ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 35 television stations and two radio stations. Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5) and Twitter (@wcvb).About Hearst TelevisionHearst Television owns and/or operates 35 television and two radio stations serving 27 media markets across 39 states reaching over 22 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over more than 120 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Its Hearst Media Production Group unit produces original programming across linear and streaming platforms for domestic and international distribution. Its Very Local app, free to download on household OTT devices and available across popular streaming services, offers 24/7 access to local news, weather and an array of local and regional programming. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.