Star-studded tree lighting: How Araneta City kicked off Christmas season this year

November 13, 2023 - 5:03 PM
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Araneta City Giant Tree Lighting
Araneta City's Giant Christmas Tree lighting at Times Square Food Park on Nov. 10, 2023 (Interaksyon/Jeline Malasig)

Lifestyle and shopping destination Araneta City officially kicked off the beginning of the Holiday season by lighting up its Giant Christmas Tree last Friday.

The “City of Firsts” continued its 40-year tradition of lighting up a 100-foot outdoor Christmas tree to usher in the festive season and gave the public an early Christmas treat by inviting Kapamilya stars and beauty queens to the program.

Araneta City’s Giant Christmas Tree Lighting was attended by the following:

  • “Unkabogable” host Vice Ganda
  • Actor Seth Fedelin of the FranSeth love team
  • P-pop group VXON
  • Drag queen Taylor Sheesh
  • Sixth “Tawag ng Tanghalan” grand champion Lyka Estrella
  • “It’s Showtime’s” Isip Bata kids
  • Binibining Pilipinas 2023 queens (Miss International 2023 3rd runner-up Nicole Borromeo, Bb. Pilipinas International 2023 Angelica Lopez, Bb. Pilipinas 2023 1st runner-up Katrina Johnson and Bb. Pilipinas 2023 2nd runner-up Atasha Parani)

The program was held at the Times Square Food Park on November 10, with “The Voice Teens” 2017 first season finalist Jeremy Glinoga and host-singer Ana Ramsey serving as the hosts.

Taylor Sheesh opened the show with electrifying performances of Taylor Swift’s hits like “Cruel Summer,” “Style” and “Love Story.”

 

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Other talents who performed were “It’s Showtime’s” Isip Bata kids and VXON.

 

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Seth also gave a soulful rendition of Ariel Rivera‘s “Sana Ngayong Pasko,” while Lyka brought the house down with her powerful vocals as she sang songs like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

 

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Nicole likewise took to the stage and shared how she will be spending the Christmas season.

The beauty queen said she will go home to Cebu to celebrate the Holidays with her family, saying that it is what Christmas is about.

 

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Vice Ganda capped off the show with a dynamic performance of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

 

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The program culminated with the lighting up of the Giant Christmas Tree beside the stage, which was followed by a colorful fireworks show.

 

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Other Christmas activities that Araneta City is holding are the indoor Christmas Tree lighting at the new Gateway Mall 2 on November 14 and the Traditional Belen lighting at the Farmers Market on November 17.

ALSO READ: Gateway Mall 2 is your newest hangout spot. Here’s why