BOISE, Idaho — Boise's yearly downtown Christmas tree lighting will be pushed back after the tree crashed to the ground, breaking branches and smashing lights.
The massive Christmas tree in Boise's Grove Plaza toppled over Thanksgiving evening, just one day before Friday's scheduled tree lighting event.
According to the Downtown Boise Association, the lighting event will not be scrapped entirely, although details about when it will be held have not yet been released. More information about the new lighting date will likely be announced early next week.
It's unclear what caused the 45-foot white fir to fall over, although the Downtown Boise Association says weather appears to have been a factor.
Some of the Christmas lights strung across the tree smashed in the fall, and the star on top is broken. Luckily, no one was injured when the tree toppled.
Officials brought out a crane Friday morning to see whether the tree could be set back up again, but damage to the tree has left it unsafe, officials say.
The annual tree lighting ceremony, which draws a crowd to the Grove Plaza each year, was originally scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Friday.
This is not the first time calamity has struck the Grove Christmas tree: In January 2018, someone climbed up the 30-foot tree and swiped the star from the top. The star was later returned.
Boiseans will still have a chance to catch the State Capitol Christmas tree lighting Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Idaho Statehouse.
For more area tree lightings and other holiday events, check out our Event Guide here.
