The temperature may have been in the low 40s, but hearts were left glowing Sunday night as a large crowd turned out for the Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce 35th Annual Tree Lighting Program held on the Bamberg County Courthouse grounds.

Shortly after 6:00 pm Bamberg County Council Chairman Clair P. Guess III gave the command for the tree, adorned in white lights, to be turned on. Musical selections were performed by Kids PRAISE of Bamberg First Baptist Church along with Sallie Boatwright and her family. The City of Bamberg Clerk-Treasurer Bruce Watson led the audience in a medley of Christmas Carols.

Rev. Vivian Lingard, of Friendship and St. Luke United Methodist Churches, delivered the Christmas message. She encouraged each person in attendance to “remember that Jesus Christ is the true reason for the season. At the end of the program, Santa Claus arrived in a City of Bamberg fire truck with candy to the delight of all the children in attendance.

The Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce acknowledges the Advertizer- Herald, Carl Kilgus, Bamberg Job Corps Center and the Bamberg Board of Public Works for their contributions in helping the Chamber make this event possible.