Lighting of Zilker tree to begin

AUSTIN(KXAN) - A seasonal addition will be coming to Austin's Zilker park on Friday as the seasonal holidays approach. The 155-foot Christmas tree will be taking it's place in the park for it's 46th consecutive year.

Austin Energy will be using a 75-ton bucket truck which can reach up to 170 feet in the sky and will lifting up workers to place the two stars with 75 frosted bulbs each at the top of the moonlight tower and the tree itself.

There also will be 39 streamers that will connect the tower and the tree together. The 39 streamers will contain over three thousand red,yellow,green, and blue bulbs which will be placed in a way which will give the tree it's distinctive swirl pattern. 

Zilker parks Moonlight Tower is one of only 17 remaining towers in Austin out of the original 31 which provided Austin with it's first urban lighting system.

The tree itself will be lit by the winners of a children's' Zilker Tree art contest which was sponsored by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.

The tree was expected to up by afternoon.