Watch the WRAL Tower Lighting

WRAL welcomed special musical guests the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus to ring in the holiday season.

The annual WRAL Tower Lighting was held Wednesday night at the Western Boulevard studio in Raleigh.

It featured a live, half-hour special of music and holiday cheer across central North Carolina, with towers lit in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount.

This year marked the 65th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.

WRAL Tower Lighting Special

Debra Morgan and Gerald Owens hosted the WRAL Tower Lighting Special, live on TV and everywhere you stream WRAL.

Musical guests live in Raleigh, Durham, Rocky Mount

The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus entertained in Raleigh; in Rocky Mount, the Screamin’ Bridge Bluegrass Band, an up-and-coming, group led by Matthew Manning of the Martin County Ramblers performed; and Lucas Middle School chorus were among the performers in Durham.

WRAL's holiday tower lighting: A beloved 65-year tradition

The tower lighting tradition began in 1959, with Capitol Broadcasting founder A.J. Fletcher reading "A Christmas Carol" to viewers before the tower was lit.

Over time, the original tradition was embellished with new ones, including musical performances, aerial video from Sky 5, manufactured snow to set the mood and streaming video to the web and mobile phones.

In 2017, WRAL anchor Bill Leslie debuted a Christmas original composition.

Celebrations from seasons past

NBC lights the Rockefeller Center tree, music in Memphis

WRAL's Tower Lighting Special was followed at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday by the annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center. Kelly Clarkson hosted musical guests and the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes for the lighting of the world’s most famous Christmas tree.

At 10 p.m. on WRAL-TV, celebrate the king of rock and roll with Christmas at Graceland.

Credits

Web Editor: Mark Bergin