Lighting Up Boston -- the Tradition Continues
Nova Scotia's new Minister of Tourism and Culture is in Boston today celebrating Christmas in August. Rodney MacDonald joined officials from Prudential Insurance Co. to announce plans for Boston's annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony this December.
The tradition began 28 years ago, when Nova Scotia offered one of its native evergreens to the people of Boston as a gift of thanks for their help after the 1917 Halifax Explosion. The result of a wartime collision between two ships in the harbour, the explosion killed and seriously injured thousands of people and left many more homeless. Among the first to respond were the people of Massachusetts, who sent a complete relief expedition.
"Bostonians have told us it wouldn't be Christmas without our gift of thanks," said Mr. MacDonald. "We look forward to once again participating in an event that's steeped in tradition and builds on new links with New England."
As part of today's announcement, Mr. MacDonald presented a sapling as a symbol of the province's commitment to give Boston one of Nova Scotia's finest evergreens this Christmas and many more years to come.
This year, the province, Boston Properties, the owner of the Prudential Centre, and Continental Airlines are partners in what has become Boston's signature holiday event.
"Our company is proud of its history with Boston's tree, and we look forward to again sharing the season by recognizing a tradition of giving and commitment to others," said Roger Goodson, managing director with Prudential Individual Financial Services. "The tree-lighting reflects Prudential's own dedication to community and celebrates an extraordinary humanitarian effort that occurred in 1917."
The tree-lighting ceremony takes place Saturday, Dec. 4, beginning at 6 p.m. on the Prudential Centre's Boylston Street side. The hour-long celebration will feature 100 members of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, appearances by the Buzz Lightyear and Woody -- characters from Disney on Ice's Toy Story -- music provided by local and Nova Scotian entertainers, as well as a visit from Santa Claus.
The event draws thousands of area residents and visitors from across the region. NBC will broadcast the tree-lighting live during a half-hour television special. Plans are in place to feature Nova Scotia vignettes as part of the program.
"This type of exposure will boost general awareness in this key Nova Scotia market," said Mr. MacDonald.
Tourism promotion and export development are an integral part of Nova Scotia's marketing activity in the New England area. In 1998, more than 121,000 New Englanders visited the province. And 1999 numbers to date indicate visits from New Englanders are up 22 per cent. Nova Scotian exporters also sold $708 million worth of products to the New England region in 1998.
The Nova Scotia tourism industry, which topped $1.1 billion in economic revenues last year, employs more than 33,000 Nova Scotians with a payroll of about $430 million. Tourism is a significant Nova Scotian export, with more than half its billion-dollar revenue from outside the province.