The annual Brecksville tree lighting and parade has been taking place for over 55 years and students from Brecksville Broadview Heights High School have been long time participants in the fun. Although the tradition has been around for decades, the choir has not always sung there.
Choir director Emily Garlock says, “The choir used to do the tree lighting, but it started to conflict with our holiday concert. This is the first year we brought it back.”
The tree-lighting took place on November 30, 2025. The event started with a parade, and various businesses sent out floats to ride through the Brecksville square. Shortly after the parade, Mayor Daryl J. Kingston, made a short speech, and Councilman Dominic Caruso announced parade awards. The awards concluded and the choir had begun to sing.
Sophomore Iskandar Williams says, “The tree lighting helps us practice in front of an audience before the numerous caroling events.”
Every year the chamber choir has a number of songs to learn before they begin caroling and madrigals, the tree lighting allows an easy gateway to practice in an outside space to help for the day they go caroling all around Brecksville.
As the cities traditions for the tree lighting has not changed much, the choir’s side of the tree lighting has changed. Garlock says, “Technology has made it easier since the last time we did it 12 years ago. Students now just have music on their phones instead of having to memorize everything or carry around giant binders of music.”
The holiday season is a very special time for the choir students bringing joy and music to the Brecksville and Broadview Heights communities.
