SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com

Lamarque Elementary School chorus students Isabella Gasper, 10, a fifth-grader, and Bianca Kinker, 10, and Karri Brown, 9, both fourth-graders, sing together at the tree-lighting ceremony Thursday onstage. The ceremony was sponsored by the city and the Early Bird and Knight Owls Kiwanis clubs.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Andrew Vargas, 6, an Island Village Montessori Charter School student, and Tessa Erazo, 5, a Lamarque Elementary School student, play on the choo-choo train on the grounds of North Port City Hall after Thursday night's Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. The tree can be seen in the background.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Julia, 3, and Alex Evancho, 6, give each other a hug at the tree-lighting ceremony Thursday while listening to students sing onstage.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Santa (a good friend of North Porter Dan Hard) visited children as they were singing "Silent Night" Thursday at the tree-lighting ceremony.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Members of the Toledo Blade Elementary School choir sang Thursday outside City Hall.

SUN PHOTO BY DALLAS EMRICH

The city of North Port will keep the tree at City Hall lit throughout the holiday season. There are also more than 25 large cards at Christmas Card Lane on display for families to look near the tree