Students Decorate Trees for Milwaukee Holiday Festival
More than 2,000 students from 101 schools and nonprofits are decorating over 100 evergreen trees in Cathedral Square Park for the 28th annual Holiday Lights Festival.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Seasonal Events
Students began decorating more than 100 evergreen trees in Cathedral Square Park on Tuesday, November 10, for Milwaukee's 28th annual Holiday Lights Festival. Each tree represents a class theme, and the decorating continues through November 18.
Why it matters
The project brings together students from dozens of Milwaukee-area schools and nonprofits to transform downtown Milwaukee's Cathedral Square Park into Community Spirit Park for the holiday season. It highlights a long-running community tradition ahead of the festival's opening.
Over 100 evergreen trees and more than 2,000 students from 101 schools and nonprofits are taking part, with decorating scheduled through November 18. The extraction does not specify how many trees each school decorates or the expected festival attendance.
The players
WISN 12 News
WISN 12 News is a Milwaukee television station that will provide live broadcast coverage of the Holiday Lights Festival from Pere Marquette Park.
The details
Students arrived at Cathedral Square Park with tinsel, bows, handmade ornaments and crafts, and each tree is decorated to represent a class theme. Students from seven named schools started the process Tuesday, with a few students from each participating school contributing daily except Sunday, November 15. The festival kicks off Thursday, and WISN 12 News will broadcast live from Pere Marquette Park beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 10: Students began decorating trees in Cathedral Square Park.
Sunday, November 15: No student decorating takes place.
Thursday, November 12: Milwaukee's Holiday Lights Festival kicks off, and WISN 12 News begins live coverage at 6:30 p.m. from Pere Marquette Park.
November 18: Tree decorating is scheduled to end.
Season Trajectory
The tree decorating marks the 28th edition of Milwaukee's Holiday Lights Festival, extending a tradition that has run every year since its founding. It keeps the festival's community-driven format intact, with student-designed ornaments and class-themed trees.
Milwaukee residents heading to Pere Marquette Park or downtown can see the decorated trees and festival activities starting Thursday. The decorating continues through November 18, so the park will keep changing as more trees are finished.
The takeaway
Seasonal community projects like this one bring students, schools and nonprofits into shared public spaces, giving residents a visible way to take part in the holidays. Visiting the park during the decorating period lets you see the class-themed trees as they come together.
What happens next
Tree decorating is scheduled to end November 18, and the Holiday Lights Festival kicks off Thursday, November 12, with WISN 12 News live coverage at 6:30 p.m.
Further reading
For more on the city's holiday traditions, browse Seasonal Events coverage.
