Community is invited to attend!!
ONTARIO, California (Monday, November 28, 2022) – Historic Euclid Avenue in Ontario has begun the transformation into the annual winter wonderland with twinkling lights, festive decor, and the twelve Nativity scenes. The final piece of ornamentation will be the tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3. “We started to research Christmas on Euclid when we found historical records, with the help of the Model Colony Room at the Ovitt Family Library, that this was indeed a year to celebrate!” said Michael Krouse, President & CEO of the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Old newspaper articles, photos, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce records date back to 1922 when a holiday tree was lit on Euclid Avenue. Thousands of people gathered, bringing donations for needy families, and joined together as a community to celebrate the start of the holiday season.”
An article in the local newspaper dated December 22, 1922 discussed the anticipated event that evening as the City of Ontario’s giant tree, about fifty feet tall, would be prepared by the Fire Boys with elaborate decorations from the base to the star. The lights and ornaments were hung in perfect symmetry with artistic flair and was declared as the biggest and most beautiful tree in Southern California. The following day the newspaper reported the tree lighting was a success with vast throngs of people that attended the ceremony. The beauty of the tree included long red streamers, icicle tinsel and a shining gold star with brilliant multi-colored lights. The event was declared a new tradition and there was no doubt in the world that a Community Christmas Tree in Ontario would be an annual event. There was a program that included singing while the younger generation in the enthusiastic crowd were given candy. One of the most important things of the evening were the donations of food such as potatoes, canned fruit and all the “fixin’s” for a Christmas dinner for the needy.
The community is invited to attend this year’s tree lighting ceremony at Ontario Town Square on Euclid Avenue in Ontario on Saturday, December 3, 2022. New, unwrapped socks for men, women, and children will be collected for the Foothill Family Shelter which provides services for homeless families. Festivities will start at 6:30PM with the second annual Holiday Light parade down Euclid Avenue from 4th Street to Ontario Town Square where the tree lighting will take place at approximately 8:30PM. Santa will arrive with the parade to join Mrs. Claus where activities for children, food vendors, and music at Ontario Town Square will be in full swing prior to the tree lighting ceremony.
For more information on all the Christmas on Euclid activities during December visit: www.ChristmasOnEuclid.com
CHRISTMAS ON EUCLID EXPERIENCE
The Christmas on Euclid Experience, a non-profit organization, produced by the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been a tradition for thousands of visitors each year since 1922. Free fun family events are planned on historic Euclid Avenue in Ontario, California during the holidays. The twinkling exhibition of festive lights and decorations are on display throughout downtown where families, friends, visitors or neighbors are delighted each year when the start of the holiday season is kicked off on the first weekend of December with the annual holiday lights parade and tree lighting ceremony at Ontario Town Square. More activities in December include a 5K Reindeer Run, a craft fair, community sing-a-long, snow play, carnival rides plus live music and entertainment.
The iconic Euclid Avenue Nativity Scenes are on display from Thanksgiving thru News Years Day. The twelve creche scenes depict the life of Jesus with near life size statues and murals – a part of the community culture since 1958. We welcome you visit and view these pieces of art as you stroll along beautiful tree-lined Euclid Avenue in Ontario, California from “C” Street to “F” Street. For more information, a complete schedule of events or how to donate and support the restoration of the Nativity Scenes visit ChristmasOnEuclid.com
GREATER ONTARIO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization to promote the cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, California to visitors nationally and internationally. As destination experts we provide leisure, meeting groups and meeting professionals with an unbiased, comprehensive resource when booking a tour, convention, meeting or event within the cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Ideal for leisure and business travel, the region boasts scenic mountains, deserts, vineyards and metropolitan areas that are both historic and cosmopolitan in character. Under the umbrella of the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau is the California Welcome Center and several Signature Events to support the overall mission to drive visitors to the region, stimulating economic growth. The Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau provides the necessary destination support tools to execute a successful experience Visit www.GOcvb.org
FAMILY FOOTHILL SHELTER
The mission of Foothill Family Shelter is to assure children and adults a future by helping them acquire skills that will enable them to maintain a home, job and at the same time develop the necessary self-esteem to function as a successful stable adult. Foothill Family Shelter is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984 which houses homeless adults and children for a period of up to 120 days, free of rent and utility charges. We also provide one-year transitional housing as well as extended housing. The Foothill Family Shelter began as St. Mark’s Homeless Shelter and currently serves as a transitional facility for homeless adults and children from the west end of San Bernardino County and the east end of Los Angeles County. The Shelter has 7- two-bedroom apartments which are fully furnished and offered free for a maximum of 120 days. We also provide 12- two-bedroom apartments for transitional housing and 8- two-bedroom apartments for extended housing. For more information visit: https://www.foothillfamilyshelter.org/home