As if the banks of Cane River Lake don’t twinkle enough, the City Utility Department created a brand new, surprise set piece to light up the night sky. Director Charles Brossette said they took an old, unused tree frame and welded rods onto it. This created a stable base to install 32 strings of lights, 2,042 total. The department’s Engineering Technician, Sherry Edwards traveled to Tennessee to learn how to program the animated lighting that appears on the tree.

That’s right. They’re not your normal bulbs. The lights that illuminate the 15-foot tree structure can be programmed with different sequences and even text. It’s not just for Christmas either. The tree can be themed for the Fourth of July, other festivals, NSU and so much more. It’s also easy to move and very popular with residents and tourists alike, which Brossette says has led to plans for more trees in the years to come.

Perhaps the best part is that, while trees like this can retail for over $30,000, the Utility Department saved the City a ton of money by buying the materials and building the Christmas creation in-house.

Look for the tree where it sits on the bank directly across from the main stage on the festival riverbank.