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A small crowd of people gather to watch the Eastpointe Christmas tree be lit.
Photo by Brian Wells
EASTPOINTE — A crowd gathered outside Eastpointe City Hall Dec. 3, singing Christmas carols, braving snow and cold temperatures, and waiting for Santa Claus.
In the plaza outside, Mayor Michael Klinefelt and Community Engagement Manager Juanita Waltower led residents in songs, while inside, local organizations and city officials handed out goodies.
After being dropped off in an Eastpointe Fire Department truck, Santa flipped a switch, turning on the lights of the city’s Christmas tree.
In addition to the tree lighting, local businesses along Gratiot Avenue covered their buildings in Christmas lights and turned them on when the tree was lit as part of the Light Up the Night initiative.
“I’m really big into building community, and this is something that some of the bigger cities have. Everybody gets together, and it kind of bridges the gaps between the community and commerce, businesses and residents,” said John Hofmann, a local business owner who spearheaded the initiative.
Ian McCain, economic development manager for Eastpointe, said Handy Mitten, a local company, helped install the lights for businesses.
This year, the city’s Downtown Development Authority renewed a grant for $20,000 to help businesses participate. The grant covered 12 businesses, including one that hadn’t participated before.
“If every year an additional business or two does it, eventually it becomes a big thing, right? Like Rochester Hills built up an entire event around it,” Hofmann said.
While this is the fourth year Hofmann has led the initiative, McCain said this is the third year the DDA has helped to sponsor holiday lighting.
“Every year, more businesses outside of the DDA are lighting up the night on Gratiot and around the gateway to Macomb County. Hopefully we can continue to expand our program with district businesses and board support,” he said in an email. “One day, every storefront near Nine Mile and Gratiot could be lit up for the holiday season.”
Hofmann said the businesses usually keep their lights on until Christmas.
“A lot of people drive through Eastpointe, going everywhere, from coming in from Detroit or going towards Mount Clemens, and it’s a nice, low-cost way to bring some attention to the businesses,” he said.
