BY JOSEPH BUSTOS SVN REPORTER jbustos@svnmail.com
STERLING - New York City lit its 64-foot Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center earlier this week.
Sterling followed suit Saturday, lighting its own 30-footer in the band shell at the Grandon Civic Center, where it will remain until the end of the year.
The annual ceremony was part of the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce's 2007 Seasonal Sights and Sounds event. Lowell Grummert, 73, of Sterling, was the parade grand marshal, and had the honor of setting the tree aglow.
"It's going to be beautiful, and Christmas is for children," Grummert said, as two of his grandchildren helped. "We love buying things for them."
After the ceremony, hundreds of warmly bundled residents lined Locust and Fourth streets, braving the 23-degree chill to watch the annual parade. Chamber members sang "Jingle Bells" as they threw candy canes to the children lining the route, and the Sterling Rock Falls Men's Club serenaded the crowd with Elvis songs.
Three-year-old Adrock Moeller, of Sterling, pointed and laughed as the Aaron's mascot, Lucky, waddled down the street.
"Look at the puppy!" he yelled, as Lucky came over and handed him a little stuffed animal.
Downtown merchants stayed open late, offering warm drinks, cookies and other treats to shoppers looking for holiday deals.
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