A child waits from an adjoining building for the start of the 86th annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
NEW YORK (AP) – A massive Norway spruce has been lit up in a holiday tradition that ushers in Christmastime in New York City.
Mayor Bill de Blasio flipped the switch Wednesday night to light the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree following a televised extravaganza that featured performances by Diana Ross and Tony Bennett.
People watch from an adjoining building the scene before start of the 86th annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
The 72-foot-tall tree is decorated with 5 miles (8 kilometers) of multicolored LED lights and a 900-pound Swarovski crystal star. Rockefeller Center has hosted the ceremony since 1931.
Police officers flooded the area and spectators were funneled through security.
The 75-year-old tree was donated by a couple in Wallkill, 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of the city.