KINGMAN — Kingman citizens put the holiday season into full swing with the lighting of the electric Christmas tree atop Radar Hill. The event featured numerous holiday displays and children’s games set up around the Heritage Professional Square on Stockton Hill Road. Numerous local families showed up to enjoy the slightly chilled but clear evening’s weather sponsored by the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce and RE/MAX Prestige Properties.
Radar Hill is so named for the installations there during World War II and is one of the higher points in Kingman proper. The lighting festival is set up at what might be consider the ‘foot’ of Radar Hill, across the street from the main post office on Stockton Hill Road. Chamber marketing director Jennifer Tramaglino related the story of the yearly lighting.
“This is the annual Radar Hill tree lighting ceremony, and at the top of what we call Radar Hill, where all the radio towers are, there’s the big electric Christmas tree. And we’re going to have Unisource out here very shortly to light the tree up.”
Unisource is the gas and electric company serving Kingman. Jennifer fills us in with additional information about the family-oriented event.
“The Kingman Chamber is co-hosting this event with Kingman Premier Properties. Tonight, we have lots of vendors, lots of kids running around, we also have the Marines with Toys for Tots, so lots of family friendly fun, something fun to kick off the holidays with.”
Speaking of Toys for Tots, their area Youth Ambassador, Daylon Dach has an important job and also talks about how families may apply to make Christmas brighter for their children.
“My job is to help the guy in charge of everything to collect and distribute all the toys. To register, you go to Toys for Tots.org, click on “Arizona”, find the icon for Mohave, North, and you press “select a toy”, and you fill out the family application.”
Prior to the tree lighting, folks were instructed that the way to ‘light the tree’ was to appease the tree lighting wizard by singing Christmas carols. The gathered group obliged and after a couple of seasonal song, VOILA, a lighted Christmas tree outline appeared high atop Radar Hill. Happy Holidays to you.