Harrison's Christmas tree lit after rain cancels parade, festival

Brian C. Rittmeyer
Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 12:54 p.m. | Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 12:54 p.m.

Submitted | Charles Dizard

Cynthia Adams (left) with cousins Linda Petracco Buchko and Peter Petracco lit the tree their family donated to Harrison on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. It was to have been lit on Saturday, Dec. 1, but the township’s annual Christmas parade and festival were cancelled because of rain that day.

Left to right, Cynthia Adams, Peter Petracco and Linda Petracco Buchko at Harrison’s Christmas tree on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018.

The parade and festival were called off on account of rain, but Harrison’s Christmas tree is lit.

Members of the Petracco family donated the roughly 45-foot tall blue spruce from the back yard of their home on the Brackenridge side of Mile Lock Lane in memory of their departed relatives. It now stands on the grounds at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Broadview Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

Crews with BeaverJack Tree Service cut and moved the tree on Nov. 23.

Members of the family and township officials tried to light the tree during a break in the rain on Saturday — which was to have been the date for Harrison’s third annual Christmas Parade and Festival — but it didn’t work.

They got the electrical boxes rewired and got it lit on Sunday, according to township Commissioner Chuck Dizard.

The tree is expected to stay up until after Jan. 1, Dizard said.

Brian Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BCRittmeyer.

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