PHOTOS: Zilker moonlight tower transforms into 2024 holiday tree
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures in the 80s and 90s don't necessarily mean the holiday spirit can't start coming around yet -- just visit Zilker Park and see for yourself.
Though not yet aglow with its thousands of multicolored lights, the annual Zilker Holiday Tree went up Tuesday morning, signaling the first markings of the holiday season in Austin.
Austin Energy crews transformed the park's moonlight tower into the 155-foot-tall holiday tree.
The tree, which will have its official lighting ceremony on Dec. 1, is decorated with 39 strings of LED bulbs, each containing 81 red, yellow, green and blue bulbs, according to Austin Energy.
The electric company said in a release there's a strategic placement of the yellow bulbs on each string, giving the tree its "distinctive and dizzying" swirl pattern. A double star tops the display, measuring 10 feet from point to point, Austin Energy added.
Zilker's moon tower is one of the original 31 towers that provided the city of Austin with its first urban lighting system in 1895, according to Austin Energy. There are now only 17 left, and they serve as the only working moonlight towers in the world. The one in Zilker Park transforms each year into the holiday tree, solidifying itself as part of a beloved community tradition.
Details on when the Zilker Holiday Tree will be lit up and available for visitation are on the city of Austin's website.
The annual lighting ceremony will take place on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m., with music starting beforehand at 5:15 p.m.