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SALT LAKE CITY — The Temple Square lights are set to shine once again Friday evening, and while there is a massive renovation project on the horizon that will close the Salt Lake Temple for four years, there aren’t any plans for this to be the last holiday season lighting.
Shortly after sunset, hundreds of thousands of lights will beam across the 10-acre property. It’s a tradition that dates back to 1965. For those who can’t make it to the ceremony, a live camera is set up overlooking the grounds.
This year’s lights come as the major renovation project looms. The temple is set to close late next month for renovations. It’s expected to be closed until 2024.
Parts of the Temple Square plaza are also set to be renovated. Those plans were announced by the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April.
However, church leaders also assured during a press conference that the Christmas lights tradition would still go on during the renovations.
“They may be somewhat reduced because the area that’s under construction, but we expect that Temple Square will continue to be available during the construction,” Elder Larry Y. Wilson, executive director of the church's Temple Department, told members of the media in April.
A church spokesperson told KSL.com Wednesday that there haven’t been any changes to that plan.
In addition to the Temple Square lights, five movies are now showing at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building Legacy Theater. They are:
- The Book of Mormon Videos
- The Christ Child
- Christ in Our Lives
- Christmas videos by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
- Mr. Krueger’s Christmas
A full schedule when those movies are playing can be found here.
