Annual Volunteer Fire Department Christmas tree raising kicks off Lemoore holiday season

Next up on the Lemoore seasonal festivities is the Lemoore Downtown Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, in the city's downtown. The annual parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 6 p.m. This year's parade is referred to as "Christmas in Toyland" and will likely feature several colorful and exciting floats.

The local volunteer firefighters' annual Christmas Tree tradition began in 1923 when the men of the local fire department decided it was their duty to provide the city with a downtown Christmas tree. Except for two years during World War II, a magnificent tree, cut from the forests of the Sierra, has almost magically appeared in Lemoore during the holiday season.

It's evident that Lemoore's citizens love the annual tradition and always gather downtown to watch the tree raised by the firefighters. 

The tree has been a gift of the Lemoore Volunteer Firefighters for nearly 100 years.