The holidays were kicked off over the weekend with the Annual Fashion Island Christmas Tree lighting event.
Mickey and friends traveled from Disneyland to the Newport Beach shopping center Friday for a special performance for the holiday event. Members of the Musical Theatre University in Laguna Beach entertained the crowd with song and dance numbers on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Festivities began at 6 p.m. and the 90-foot white fir was lit up, following a five-second countdown by the excited crowd, at about 6:30 p.m.
More than 20,000 lights brightened the courtyard as thousands of onlookers cheered and took photos.
The stage was set up at the base of the tree, adorned with oversized gold, silver and red ornaments, in the Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdale’s Courtyard.
The event also featured a special visit from Santa.
The tree, taken from a designated area near Mt. Shasta, will be recycled after the holidays.
