Why is the downtown Fresno Christmas tree dark? Blame the Grinch. Here’s what we know
UPDATE: Thanks to a good Samaritan, a power cord was supplied and the large Christmas tree downtown was light back up as of Thursday evening.
ORIGINAL STORY: The giant Christmas tree covered in multi-colored lights on Mariposa Plaza in downtown Fresno is dark.
Why?
A figurative Grinch – or perhaps several of them – stole power cords supplying the tree with lights. The tree was lit up at night after a ceremonial tree lighting Dec. 11 on the platform at Fulton and Mariposa streets.
But the Downtown Fresno Partnership said on social media Wednesday that the tree is now dark.
“The Christmas Tree will not be lit for the remainder of the year due to the power cord being stolen repeatedly,” it said in posts on Twitter and Facebook.
Someone from the organization was not immediately available to comment about the situation.
But the partnership doesn’t seem to be letting the bad news get it down. Instead, they are asking the public to help bring “holiday cheer” by placing their own ornaments on the tree.
When the tree is removed, ornaments will be put in storage and placed on the tree in following years. The public is asked not to bring fragile ornaments that could break.
This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 3:11 PM.
