INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — In other cities, Black Friday is for tracking down the best deals on gifts for everyone on your shopping list. In Indianapolis, Black Friday is for Circle of Lights.

For the past 63 years, the Circle of Lights celebration has been a cherished holiday tradition. About 10,000 people are expected to gather Friday evening for the lighting of “the world’s largest Christmas tree” on Monument Circle.

Free activities, festive food and beverages, and a pre-show will begin at 5 p.m., with live music and entertainment starting at 6 p.m. At 6:50 p.m., all eyes will be on the Soldiers & Sailors Monument as Santa Claus “flips the switch” to illuminate 52 strands of sparkling garland and nearly 5,000 multi-colored LED lights.

According to Visit Indy, each of the five bulb colors honors a branch of the United States military — green for the Army, clear for the Air Force, blue for the Navy, yellow for the Coast Guard, and red for the Marines. Adding to the festive scene are 52 larger-than-life toy soldiers and sailors and peppermint sticks that circle the Monument.

The city plans to have a large police presence, including drones, to help monitor the area around Monument Circle. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says it will have uniformed and undercover officers in the crowd to keep things safe.

“We’ll have a lot of resources that’s going tobe assigned down here. Downtown is safe,” IMPD Commander of Special Operations Chuck DeBlaso said. “Most importantly, we need the community to step up.”

If you see something, say something — report anything suspicious to an officer or security guard.

Circle of Lights attendees are also encouraged to sign up for public safety alerts by texting COL2025 to 67283.

If you’re planning to join the celebration, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Plan ahead. Plan to arrive early and stay late.
• Expect crowds.-About 25,000 people are expected downtown on Friday night due to Circle of Lights, state football championships at Lucas Oil Stadium, and a Pacers game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• Parking will be at a premium. Construction, street closures, and other events near Monument Circle mean you might end up parking farther away than you did in years past.
• Dress warmly. Conditions will be very cold, with temps below freezing and wind chill in the 20s.
• Leave your chairs at home. Prohibited items include chairs, pop-up tents, coolers, bicycles, and animals (except for service animals).

Click here to learn more about Circle of Lights.

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