Tree-lighting ceremony officially opens $1.5M Bright Lights Windsor festival

Alexa, turn on the Christmas tree!

With a shoutout to Windsor and Detroit's joint-bid for Amazon's HQ2, Mayor Drew Dilkens called on a "special guest," the company's popular digital assistant Alexa, to illuminate a massive tree coated in lights at the heart of Jackson Park's $1.5 million holiday lights display.

The Bright Lights Windsor festival is officially open.

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The flashing colours along the 20-metre tree drew gasps and squeals of delight from a crowd of thousands who gathered to watch the kick off ceremony.

 "It's one of the best trees in the world," said Dilkens, who estimated it cost the city about $400,000. "You just look around here, look at the people that are here. There's a great excitement in the community about this festival."

The event will run from Dec. 8 to Jan. 7 and is free of charge.

"At the tail end of the year where we're celebrating our 125th birthday, we wanted this to be a capstone event and a legacy project," the mayor explained. "Now that we've made an investment in the items in the park, you will see them next year and in future years."

Dilkens also had a simple message for any detractors.

"Just come and see it. You'll be impressed."