Staff and volunteers for the City of Sequim and the City Arts Advisory Commission lit up the Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St., on Dec. 2 for the annual “Holiday Tree Lighting” reception.

Mayor Dennis Smith (pictured at right) performed the honor of switching on the tree that’s decorated with ornaments created by local fourth-grade students with the theme of “What Sequim Means to Me.”

Performers with Sequim Ballet performed a preview of their performance of “The Nutcracker” that runs Dec. 16-18 at Olympic Theatre Arts.

Olivia Gray dances with fellow performers with Sequim Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” during a preview of their performance on Dec. 2 inside the Sequim Civic Center. They’ll perform four shows Dec. 16-18 at Olympic Theatre Arts. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash