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Children reach for snow falling from an artificial snow machine at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Andrew and Rheanna Stevens and their children, 9-year-old Brandt and 5-year-old Hunter, pose for a selfie in front of the 43-foot-tall Christmas tree at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, during the city's annual tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people showed up for the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Clouds hover over the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, just before the city's 2017 Christmas tree lighting on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people came to the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Members of the Bluff Park Elementary School choir wait for the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting to start at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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ABC 33/40 news anchor Christopher Sign serves as master of ceremonies at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Chris Peters, pastor at Cross Creek Church in Hoover, Alabama, leads a prayer at the beginning of the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Darlene Pate, administrative services supervisor for the information and reporting department at the city of Hoover, Alabama, sings the national anthem at the city's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato speaks to the crowd at the city's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Sibilings Claire and Carter Manering, at left, prepare to light the city of Hoover's official Christmas tree at a tree lighting ceremony at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, as ABC 33/40 news anchor Christopher Sign introduces them and talks about their mother, Kathy Manering, a Green Valley Elementary School teacher who died in October after a battle with breast cancer.
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Siblings Claire and Carter Manering, at left, join Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato in flipping the switch to turn on the lights on the city of Hoover's official Christmas tree at a tree lighting ceremony at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Siblings Claire and Carter Manering join Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato in flipping the switch to turn on the lights on the city's official Christmas tree at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The Bluff Park Elementary School choir sings at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The Bluff Park Elementary School choir sings at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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A choir from Bluff Park Elementary School sings at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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A choir from Bluff Park Elementary School sings at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Two young girls listen to a choir from Bluff Park Elementary School sing at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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A choir from Bluff Park Elementary School sings at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The crowd listens to a choir from Bluff Park Elementary School sing at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people came to the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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People clamor to see and greet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus as they arrive at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Paula Flores, 4, of Hoover, Alabama, sits atop her the shoulders of her father, Javer Flores, at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people mingle at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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People dressed up as a toy soldier and gingerbread man greet people in the crowd at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Clara Freeman visits with Santa Claus at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Mrs. Claus and an elf join Santa Claus in the photo booth at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The Shades of Bluff jazz band from Spain Park High School plays at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School plays at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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A member of the Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School plays with the band at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School plays at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Members of the Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School play with the band at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The crowd listens to the Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Thirteen-month-old Bussa Verma of the Brook Highland community in north Shelby County reaches for snow falling from the artificial snow machine at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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A snowman character gives a high-five to a child at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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The city of Hoover's official 2017 Christmas tree at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, stands 43 feet tall and has more than 62,000 lights on it.
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People partake of refreshments offered by the Chick-fil-A at Hoover Commons at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Representatives for the Chick-fil-A at Hoover Commons serve refreshments at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Members of the Shades of Blue jazz band from Spain Park High School play at the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people attended the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
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Hundreds of people attended the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
It was 63 degrees at the Hoover Municipal Center tonight, but that didn’t stop snow from falling at the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting.
An artificial snow machine brought many smiles to kids’ faces as the children marveled at the white stuff and tried to grab it in the air.
Hundreds of people filled the parking lot and grounds of the Municipal Center to help usher in the Christmas season.
Carter and Claire Manering, siblings from the Birchtree community whose mother died in October after a battle with breast cancer, joined Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato in lighting the city’s 43-foot-tall Christmas tree along U.S. 31.
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Siblings Claire and Carter Manering, at left, join Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato in flipping the switch to turn on the lights on the city of Hoover's official Christmas tree at a tree lighting ceremony at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
The tree, which grew by several feet this year thanks to a new decorative top, has more than 62,000 lights, said Sharon Nelson, the city’s landscape architect. The Hoover Municipal Center and its grounds all together have more than 120,000 lights shining to celebrate the Christmas season, Nelson said.
One of the highlights of the night was the arrival of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus on a Hoover fire truck. Children cheered loudly and clamored around them as they made their way to a small hut where children could have pictures made with Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.
The Bluff Park Elementary School choir sang three Christmas tunes to entertain the crowd, and the Spain Park High School Shades of Blue jazz band played numerous songs as people mingled throughout the night.
ABC 33/40 news anchor Christopher Sign served as master of ceremonies for the lighting ceremony. Cross Creek Church Pastor Chris Peters led in a prayer, and Darlene Pate, the administrative services supervisor in the city’s information and reporting department, sang the national anthem. Refreshments were provided by the Chick-fil-A at Hoover Commons.
Photo by Jon Anderson
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Hundreds of people attended the city of Hoover's 2017 Christmas tree lighting at the Hoover Municipal Center in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
Terry and Heather Nunn, residents of The Park at Hoover apartment complex along Lorna Road, were among the hundreds of people who attended tonight’s tree lighting.
Terry Nunn said they just moved to Hoover about three months ago from Atlanta, and he was encouraged to come to the tree lighting by a coworker.
“This is awesome,” he said. “It’s a great community-type gathering where you get to see and experience community festivities.”
Their 2-year-old daughter, Lilly, loves Christmas time and enjoyed getting to see the tree and lights and snack on a chocolate chip cookie, he said.
Former longtime Hoover Councilman Jack Wright, seeing the large crowd present tonight, said the event may be outgrowing the Municipal Center. City officials may want to consider moving it to the Finley Center at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in the future, he said.
