Lighting ceremony planned for Nov. 1 in Forsyth

The City of Forsyth, the Forsyth Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Taneycomo Elks invite the community to join them on Saturday evening, November 1, for the celebratory Christmas Tree Lighting at Forsyth City Hall, 15405 U.S. Hwy. 160 in Forsyth. The festivities will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with Christmas baked treats and live music being planned and the official first flip of the switch scheduled for 7 p.m. 

The community Christmas tree represents a key step for Forsyth in starting the ambitious project of updating the city’s 50-year-old downtown lighting. The City, Chamber and Elks have partnered in raising funds, with support from a White River Valley Electric Cooperative Corporation grant and encouragement from the Ozark Mountain Christmas Coalition. The grant funding will help provide supplies for an additional partner, the Forsyth High School agriculture department, with students using skills they learn at school to build brackets for new pole lighting; that project is scheduled to be part of Christmas 2026. Donations are still being accepted to continue the downtown lighting update; visit the City, Chamber, or Elks websites or Facebook pages for information on how to get involved. 

As a member of the Ozark Mountain Christmas Coalition, Forsyth will join several other area communities in their first “light-up” of the season that evening. Participating communities will be highlighted on an online Trail of Lights map, encouraging visitors to enjoy sights throughout the county during the holiday season. Businesses and individuals are also encouraged to join in the fun and celebration by festively lighting their homes and locations for visitors and area residents to enjoy.