By: Taylor Christensen | Royal Oak Review | Published December 9, 2025
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak Tree Lighting saw its biggest crowd yet for the kick off of the holiday season in Centennial Commons, 204 S. Troy St.
From 4 to 9 p.m. Nov. 21, Centennial Commons was filled with holiday magic including ice skating at The Rink, visits with Santa Claus, carnival rides, food trucks, live music, and of course the lighting of the giant oak tree.
“This year’s lighting of the park was pure magic. The weather couldn’t have been better, and seeing so many families come out to share the moment together made the night truly special,” said Judy Davids, Royal Oak community engagement specialist. “It was one of our biggest crowds yet, and the joy in the park was absolutely contagious.”
Along with the long list of activities that took place at the tree lighting, guests were treated to performances by the Royal Oak High School Drumline, Royal Oak Children’s Choir, and skating performances from the Detroit Skating Club.
“It was a magnificent night. It was perfect weather and a lot of fun. We approximated a crowd of 4,000 people,” said Jon Witz, event producer. “There was the kick off of The Rink, and a lot of folks got to enjoy the skating. I think there was anticipation for the lighting, but I think the highlight was the broad range of entertainment that people got to enjoy.”
The tree lighting ceremony was just the beginning of the five weekends that make up Royal Oak Holidays. Each weekend has its own special seasonal theme and activities.
The second weekend of Royal Oak Holidays Nov. 28-30 was a hit, according to Witz, and showed that the tree lighting gave the holiday season a great start.
“One of the highlights of this past weekend was the Hungry Hippos — they were hilarious. The kids, adults and teen division on the ice rink was probably the most fun I’ve seen on the ice in a long time,” Witz said. “We had hundreds of folks enjoy free zip lines and food.”
For the upcoming Royal Oak Holidays weekends, Witz is hoping to see an abundance of community engagement and excitement surrounding the activities.
“The goal is for the residents of Royal Oak and nearby communities to celebrate the quality of life where they live, to enjoy these times, and to provide an atmosphere that is high value,” he said. “Of equal importance is bringing people to the downtown to support restaurants and retailers and showcase what the city of Royal Oak has to offer, which you know, there are a lot of new restaurants and great shopping locations.”
Witz also said that going to the events each weekend can help remind the people of Royal Oak of the new upgrades to parking and accessibility that the city has been working on.
“I think with the new parking system coming, I think it just gives us an opportunity with events like these to show, yeah, we can accommodate 4,000 or 6,000 or, you know, without any issues,” he said.
Witz said the must-see attraction this year has to be the Holiday Market, which is open 4-10 p.m. Dec. 12, noon to 10 p.m. Dec. 13 and noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 14.
“The Holiday Market is a must-see and must-enjoy during the holiday season. We are going to have 20 local businesses outdoors selling their products, and great music and atmosphere paired with the skating,” Witz said. “We are hoping it’s like a Hallmark Christmas card.”
For more information on the city of Royal Oak, visit romi.gov. For more information on Royal Oak Holidays, visit royaloakholidays.com.