DELRAY BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — It’s not even Halloween, but crews in downtown Delray Beach are already busy assembling the city’s towering 100-foot Christmas tree — a process that starts every October and signals that the holidays aren’t far off.

The early start isn’t about jumping the gun on the season. The massive tree’s aluminum frame takes about 10 to 14 days to set up, according to City officials. Once the structure is complete, volunteers and staff spend several weeks decorating both the interior and the six themed houses that surround it.

“Even though it looks finished from the outside, all the details on the inside take about a month to complete,” city officials explain. The result is a full walk-through experience that has become one of South Florida’s most celebrated holiday attractions.

This year marks 32 years of Delray Beach’s signature holiday tradition. The city will celebrate with the 100-Foot Christmas Tree Lighting and Yuletide Street Fair on Tuesday, December 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Old School Square and along East Atlantic Avenue. Santa himself will flip the switch at 7 p.m., illuminating nearly 218,000 LED lights and 18,000 ornaments that make the tree sparkle against the downtown skyline.

The night will feature more than 60 local vendors, live music, food trucks, crafts, a silent disco, and the return of Santa’s Holiday Village, complete with a carousel, mini golf, and ice skating. The event is free to attend, though activity tickets range from $6 per ride or game to $20 for an all-day wristband, available at the Gingerbread Ticket House.

The holiday village will remain open throughout December, with varying hours between December 4 and 28. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the tree and carousel will operate from 5 to 9 p.m., offering free rides on December 24 and 25.

The city also expressed gratitude to local organizations for helping bring the display to life — including the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, which decorated the “Spady House” inside the tree, designer Amanda Perna for her work on the “Cornell Museum,” and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for providing the crèche.

The 100-foot Christmas Tree is more than just decoration — it’s a symbol of community pride and resilience. “It may not have grown from mother nature, but the blood, sweat, and tears building it is real,” the city notes. “The pride in the volunteers’ work is real. The memories and family traditions are real.”

First introduced in 1993 as a 50-foot structure by the Downtown Development Authority, the tree was expanded to 100 feet in 1995 to celebrate Delray Beach’s centennial. What began as a local effort to boost economic activity has since evolved into a cornerstone of the city’s identity — drawing thousands of visitors each year to the “Village by the Sea.”

Road closures will be in effect from noon to 11:30 p.m. on December 2, including Swinton Avenue from Atlantic to North 1st Street, and Atlantic Avenue from Swinton to NE/SE 5th Avenue.

For more information, full event schedules, and activity details, visit Downtown Delray Beach Holidays or delraybeachfl.gov.