Fort Lauderdale – The City of Fort Lauderdale is decking the halls for the 5th Annual Light up Sistrunk Event - Friday, December 9, 2011 at 5:30 pm.

The holiday season will ushered in - in style and panache as event goers will again be able to walk the red carpet and take photos with Santa Claus.

New to Light Up Sistrunk this year is a special Taste of Sistrunk. Restaurants along the Boulevard will have something special for event-goers this year – their very best dish or dishes will be served. Sistrunk Boulevard is not short on savory fare and Light Up Sistrunk will showcase ribs, chicken, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato pie. For those who still want popcorn and cotton candy, those treats will be available as well.

The Kids Zone is back and children will again be able to actually play in the snow. If the cold is not what they like, there will be bounce houses, face painting and their own special DJ playing games throughout the night of festivities.

If snow and bounce houses aren't enough, there will also be special appearances by the Dolphins Mascot, T.D., Florida Panthers Mascot, Stanley, and the Miami Heat Mascot, Burnie along with a toy giveaway sponsored by Walgreens.

As the sun goes down, Sistrunk Boulevard will come to light with the lighting of the 20-foot centerpiece tree sponsored by Florida Power and Light.

Light Up Sistrunk is not only a celebration of the season but also a celebration of history and progress. The event allows a cross-section residents and business owners to come together and discuss what they want to see on the corridor in the future while observing the current progress.

In the last several years since the inaugural Light Up Sistrunk event – the City has seen the grand opening of the Sixth Street Plaza, the grand opening of Smith Plaza, the groundbreaking and grand opening of the Midtown Commerce Center, the completion of the neighborhood enhancement project of Dorsey Riverbend, the completion of the Four 40 and the Alexan, the beginning of the NW Neighborhood Enhancement project, the groundbreaking of the Sistrunk Infrastructure Project and the groundbreaking for the Shoppes on Arts Avenue, which once complete will be the home of Save-A lot, Family Dollar and Bank of America.

Join your neighbors, family, and friends at this one-of-a-kind holiday celebration as we kick off the holiday season in style.

Traffic Advisory: Sistrunk Boulevard will be closed to traffic beginning at 1:00 pm, Friday, December 9th from NW 8th Avenue to NW 11th Avenue. NW 9th Avenue (Powerline) will be closed from Sistrunk Boulevard to NW 5th Street. Streets will reopen at 9:30 pm.

For details: call - 954.828.4742 or visit – www.fortlauderdale.gov/lus.