NBC4 personality Pat Collins was on hand to officially countdown the lighting of the 30-foot tree, sponsored by “Mango” Mike Anderson, Bill Blackburn and the HomeGrown Restaurant Group.

“I love being here in Del Ray,” said Collins, who enjoyed a pre-tree lighting toast at Joy on the Avenue. “I love this bar and I can’t wait to light that tree and get this Christmas season underway.”

Collins was joined by Kate Moran of the Rainbow Rock Band, members of City Council and city officials. Santa was escorted to the event by Sheriff Sean Casey and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.

“I can’t wait to light that tree and get this Christmas season underway.”

— NBC4 personality Pat Collins

The event, sponsored by the Del Ray Business Association, also included luminaries lining Mount Vernon Avenue to honor the late Nancy Dunning. Dunning was a prominent Del Ray resident and wife of then-Sheriff Jim Dunning, who was killed in her home Dec. 5, 2003.

This is the 12th year that the HomeGrown Restaurant Group has sponsored the Del Ray holiday tree. The tree was selected and cut down at Naughty Pines Nursery in Dickerson, Md., and delivered to the Del Ray Business Association by BMC Smoot. Mike Dameron of Windmill Hill donated the crane to set the tree in place.

DRBA will next sponsor the Candy Cane Crawl, held Dec. 10 to benefit Mount Vernon Community School’s Blessings in a Backpack program. For more information, visit www.visitdelray.com