Christmas tree sales go live Sept. 18 for Adrian's 2024 Comstock Christmas Riverwalk

ADRIAN — It’s never too early to think about Christmas, right?

For those keeping track at home, there are 103 days, as of Friday, Sept. 13, until Christmas Day arrives on Dec. 25, which this year falls on a Wednesday. In just a handful of calendar days, the countdown to Christmas 2024 will reach double digits.

For Adrian’s sake, though, putting on and perfecting a holiday scene — as has been the case for more than one decade with the Comstock Christmas Riverwalk — takes plenty of time, planning and the involvement of several groups of people from organizers to city of Adrian employees, and from businesses, families and individuals.

The 11th annual Comstock Christmas Riverwalk is coming back to Adrian this December with a tree lighting ceremony scheduled for Dec. 6 as part of Adrian’s December edition of its First Fridays monthly campaign.

Christmas trees in Comstock Park, 263 W. Maumee St., will be on display for all to enjoy from the first week of December until early January 2025, a news release from the city of Adrian said.

Those wanting to get their hands on a Comstock Park Christmas tree will be able to make their purchase starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, when tree sales go live. The cost for a tree is $70, which includes lights and a commemorative ornament.

Christmas tree sales for Comstock Christmas Riverwalk have regularly gone live on the third Wednesday of September to allow time for planning the layout of the park. Last year, in near record fashion, all available trees — 530 — sold out within three days.

Tree purchases can be made during business hours inside Adrian City Hall in downtown Adrian, 135 E. Maumee St., on the first floor. Trees also can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/comstocktrees. There will be 340 trees sold online and 200 trees sold at City Hall. Trees purchased online will be $73, which includes an added processing fee.

Here’s some history of Adrian’s Comstock Christmas Riverwalk

From humble beginnings, the idea turned Adrian tradition to decorate Comstock Park with lighted Christmas trees started with just about 30 trees in its first year as a holiday event. In 2024, there will be 540 trees available for families, individuals and local businesses around Lenawee County to decorate.

The popularity of the event has allowed Comstock Christmas Riverwalk to be successful, but it's also become a holiday tradition for many in Adrian and Lenawee County, said former Adrian Mayor and longtime Christmas Riverwalk organizer Jim Berryman.

“The success of this event is not because of me by any means,” Berryman said. “The success (of Comstock Christmas Riverwalk) is because of the people who buy and decorate the trees. I have always said the trees are the star of the show.”

Comstock Park was the site of a successful Guinness World Record attempt in 2019 for the most cut and lighted Christmas trees in one location. Coinciding with the sixth annual Comstock Christmas Riverwalk at the time, 676 trees were placed and lit in Comstock Park.

In recent years, the park has seen the addition of decorative displays for the holidays including strings of lights suspended over the River Raisin, the artificial Tree of Wishes and the Adrian Noon Rotary Club’s Rotary Peace Arch, to name a few.

Having the displays breaks up the park and gives people an opportunity to walk around and take various seasonal/family photos, Berryman said.

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The tradition of the Christmas Riverwalk spreads throughout Adrian, Lenawee County and even out of state. Berryman noted he will often receive phone calls throughout the year from people in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and even from Connecticut raving about Comstock Park’s holiday splendor.

“That’s a real point of pride,” he said.

This year will be Berryman’s last at the organizational helm

While Berryman, who for some time locally has been dubbed as “Mr. Christmas” for his holiday planning efforts, is making the decision to step away from the organizing efforts after the completion of this year’s Comstock Christmas Riverwalk, that doesn’t mean the holiday riverwalk is discontinuing.

“I’m bowing out after this year,” he said. “It’s time to pass the torch and turn this project over to the city (of Adrian) who will hopefully be able to work with some people from the general public. We certainly hope Comstock (Christmas Riverwalk) can continue for years to come.”

Every decorated tree has a story, and every family has something to share.

“And each year I get to hear new stories,” Berryman said. “... I think my favorite time with Comstock is the week everyone is out there and decorating the trees. That brings me the most joy.

Another upcoming county holiday event: Community Christmas Tree lighting organizers searching for 'largest tree' to be used at courthouse

“It truly represents every cross section of Adrian and who we are,” he said.

For questions about Comstock Christmas Riverwalk or if you want to be involved, contact Berryman at 517-902-8330 or berryman2012@gmail.com.

Decorating of the trees will start on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, and will need to be completed by 4 p.m. Dec. 6, which is the First Fridays tree lighting celebration.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Christmas tree sales start Sept. 18 for Comstock Christmas Riverwalk