TEXARKANA, Texas -- The Liberty-Eylau Independent School District is bringing back its annual Christmas Tree lighting event Thursday evening at the Rader Dome parking lot.
The community event, featuring meals, hot chocolate, pictures with Santa and much more, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The meals will be low-cost, and there will be various free features as well -- like cookie decorating.
Santa Claus will be arriving in style on a fire truck before being available for photos.
"We're restarting it back up after not having done it in a few years," Superintendent Ronnie Thompson said. "It's great because it's just something that brings the community together. It's an event where you can bring your family out and just have a good time. It's just an all-around nice event to go to. We've already got our tree in place and ready to go."
The event will last for about an hour and a half to two hours. There will be a stage area where groups like cheerleaders, the drill team, the band and more will perform for the audience.
L-EISD will also be collecting toys and presents for a toy drive to help out deserving kids in the L-E community. The district has been collecting items for this drive for the last few weeks.
"People can bring a gift wrapped for a boy or girl and whatever age," Thompson said. "Then their name goes into a drawing for a prize if they want to participate. It's a good way for us to collect gifts for our own community as well."
Thompson said it will be great to see everyone who supports L-E come together and enjoy themselves during the holiday season.
"That's the best part about it is just seeing the community get out and about and come together to visit with folks you may not get to see outside of an event like this," he said. "You might see them here and there, but it's nice to see those people out at an event together."
(The Rader Dome is located on the L-E campus, near the 2900 block of Leopard Drive.)