City adds life-size ‘snow globe’ for 2016 Christmas tree lighting

The city of Hoover’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony is set for Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. at the Hoover Municipal Center.

The event usually draws hundreds of people to see the switch flipped that turns on 65,000 lights on the 32-foot-tall tree at the intersection of U.S. 31 and Municipal Lane.

This year, people will have the opportunity to get inside a giant inflatable “snow globe” for individual or family pictures, said Erin Colbaugh, the city’s events coordinator.

“That will be a great, fun addition that people will want to stop by and check out,” Colbaugh said.

There also will be entertainment provided by about 80 members of the Spain Park High School band and a choir from Green Valley Elementary School.

Santa is supposed to arrive on a Hoover fire truck and be available for pictures with children, and a snow machine will spray artificial snow into the air, Colbaugh said.

The city also will provide hot chocolate and cookies for guests, as well as commemorative Christmas tree ornaments with the city of Hoover’s logo, she said.

The event takes place in the parking lot at the Municipal Center, so parking is available across the street at the Hoover Public Library. The city will close Municipal Lane to traffic at 4 p.m. for guests’ safety, and the library will close early at 3 p.m. The organized program with music by the students usually lasts about 30 minutes, but the event as a whole runs about 90 minutes as people mingle, eat refreshments and take pictures.