A 50-foot holiday tree will be the centerpiece for the first “Festival of Lights” Friday in Manhattan.

Stakeholders around the Blue Earth Plaza in downtown Manhattan came together and began planning the festival this past September.

Brad Everett, General Manager of the Hilton Garden Inn and Manhattan Conference Center, said that at first the stakeholders were going to go with only a six foot tree and then a 20 foot tree,”I think everybody just said if were going to do it we might as well just do it right.”

The tree was constructed by Zach Hainline with Holiday Display Services out of Overland Park, Kansas. Hainline said that the tree is made out of about 3,000 sq. ft. of steel,”We’ve got about 15,000 lights on this thing to. It’s going to be a real beauty when it’s all lit up.”

That lighting ceremony will be Friday at 7 p.m. at the Blue Earth Plaza.

When lit, the tree will be connected to a synchronized light show that will play every 30 minutes from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. through New Years Day.

Visitors can catch a horse drawn carriage ride as well that will travel through the festival and downtown Manhattan. Carriage rides will be available from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the inaugural lighting ceremony Friday. Rides will be available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. from December 7 – December 22. Rides are free with donation of non-perishable food to the Manhattan Emergency Shelter.