ETSU welcomes community to annual holiday lights celebration

The 2023 holiday lights will be turned on Monday, Nov. 13 in a special ceremony in Alumni Plaza in front of Burgin Dossett Hall.

East Tennessee State University is ready to illuminate the campus once again for the most wonderful time of the year. 

The community is invited to the annual holiday lights ceremony on Monday, Nov. 13, at 5:45 p.m. at ETSU’s Alumni Plaza (at Burgin Dossett Hall facing the Carillon). The event is free and open to the public.

Festivities will include live music by the ETSU Jazz Ensemble, a movie, free hot cocoa, cookies and more. ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland, SGA President Trent White and ETSU’s beloved mascot, Bucky, will take part in the lighting ceremony.

“This is one of my favorite holiday traditions, as we celebrate the season on our beautiful campus,” said Noland. “The lights add a touch of magic to our campus, and we welcome the community to enjoy them with us throughout the holiday season.”  

New to the holiday lights tradition this year is the free screening of the holiday classic “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland,” set to take place in ETSU’s Bud Frank Theatre in Gilbreath Hall at 6:30 and 7:15 p.m. 

The evening also will include the return of the ETSU synthetic ice-skating rink, a popular addition to ETSU’s University Commons last year. After the holiday lights are turned on, skating will be free to ETSU students, faculty and staff with a valid ID. The public also is welcome to skate; rental rates and additional information is available on the skating website.

The campus will be illuminated throughout the holiday season, and visitors are invited to stop by for an evening stroll or take a relaxing drive through campus. Click here for a map of ETSU lights locations and visit the etsu.edu/holidays page for additional information.

###  

East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.