Santa, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer joined local politicians for the annual tree lighting ceremony at St. Michael Church on Clinton Avenue Dec. 5. The characters paraded with police officers and firefighters to the church where students from School 9 and School 20 performed Christmas songs before Santa, played by Ray Santana from Penfield, plugged in the tree’s lights.
Fifth grader Jose Cruz, center, practices the recorder with classmates from School 20 before the tree lighting ceremony.
Fifth graders Tayejah Figueroa, left, and Keniah Harris waves at Santa as he parades down Clinton Avenue on a fire truck.
Frosty the Snowman greets children from Generations Childcare.
Fifth grader Kaitlyn Garcia dances with classmates from School 20 while singing Christmas songs during the tree lighting ceremony.
Dressed as Santa Claus, Ray Santana from Penfield holds 4-year-old Ariel Hightower during the tree lighting ceremony.
Dressed as Santa Claus, Ray Santana from Penfield plugs in Christmas lights at the end of the tree lighting ceremony.
After the tree lighting ceremony, 2-year-old Jae’sliana Webb pets a horse while being held by her mom, Natasha Gomez. The horse, Sophie, was ridden by Eric Smith of the Rochester Police Department in a parade before the ceremony.