Bay City’s holiday season begins with 2023 Christmas tree lighting on Black Friday

BAY CITY, MI – A 44-foot-tall blue spruce that has graced Sue Grzegorczyk’s Bay City property for 29 years will soon be lit up for the whole community to see.

It will be the centerpiece of the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at downtown Bay City’s Wenonah Park, 103 Center Ave.

The night will feature a variety of events in and around the park, including a reading of “The Night Before Christmas,” the arrival of Santa Claus, hot cocoa and coffee in the Wenonah Park Pavilion concession stand from Excited Goat Coffee Co. and $5 carriage rides from Mid-Michigan Carriage Company.

Drydock Beer Garden, 113 Center Ave., will also be open and serving drinks for the adults before, during and after Santa’s arrival. Alcohol must stay inside of the Drydock.

The idea to have her tree featured as the city’s Christmas tree came to Grzegorczyk a year ago, as she looked at it in her backyard, she said.

“This would be a perfect Christmas tree for Wenonah Park,” she said.

Christmastime in Bay City has arrived with downtown tree in place

After reaching out to city hall, she was put in touch with Dave and Sally Clements, who started the tradition of putting up the city’s Christmas tree in Wenonah Park.

“Back when I was a young child and then had our children, we used to go downtown and see the lights and see the trees,” Sally Clements said.

When they retired, she said she and her husband went for a ride downtown during the holiday season and found there wasn’t really anything to see. So, they found the first tree and recruited volunteers to make the tree lighting happen, she said.

This is the eighth year the Clementses have organized the tree lighting, which marks the start of the holiday season in Bay City.

Grzegorczyk’s tree arrived at the park, with a police escort, on Monday, Nov. 20.

Monday morning was filled with excitement, cinnamon rolls from Little Pastry Shop and a small fire to warm up by as neighbors, family and friends gathered at Grzegorczyk’s house to watch the removal of her beloved tree.

Everyone was bundled up with phones out as crew members prepped the tree for the crane to lift it above houses in the neighborhood and load it onto the trailer.

“We are about people in Bay City. We support each other, we help each other and so, I figured this was a great way to do it,” Grzegorczyk said. “It’s got the height, and it looks like a real Christmas tree.”

Grzegorczyk, donning a Santa hat, wore a smile on her face the entire morning. She also went downtown after the tree was removed from her yard to watch as it was set up in Wenonah Park.

“I just wanted to be one of the other people over the years who’ve donated a tree and can be proud of where they live and proud of being able to be a giving partner in the city,” Grzegorczyk said. “I feel that if every day was Christmas and people treated it that way, we wouldn’t have the problems that we have. It’s giving, it’s loving, and it’s nurturing, so I think that’s the best we can do.”

Dave Clements added that they are already looking in Bay City for next year’s tree. To contact the Clements family, call 989-297-5101 or send an email to