Aurora welcomed the holiday season with lights, treats, reindeer and Santa Claus at the city’ municipal center Tuesday.

Hundreds of people walked around the center Tuesday evening, dressed in festive Christmas outfits, drinking hot drinks and enjoying holiday festivities.

City staff handed out holiday drinks and treats, with lines of excited kids waiting for hot cocoa.

A line formed throughout the evening of people waiting to meet and take photos with Santa Claus, who was escorted through the crowd by Aurora’s first responders, rousing cheers from the audience and screams of excitement from kids.

Several of Aurora’s city councilmembers, Danielle Jurinsky, Steve Sundberg, Crystal Murillo and new Mayor Pro Tem Dustin Zvonek, enjoyed the fun as well, stopping to engage the crowd in a countdown for the illumination of lights that filled the municipal center’s lawn with light.

“It is truly an honor to be here tonight with the community to illuminate the lawn and welcome Santa to the great city of Aurora,” Zvonek said. “I hope you all enjoy this magical celebration and leave tonight with a lasting memory.”

Penny Brown, 8, said her favorite part of the night was the glasses staff members gave out that made all of the lights on the trees look like snowmen.

Brown and her dad, Duane Brown, have come to the event for the past several years and it’s become a part of their holiday tradition.

This year, the city brought live reindeer to the event, which Brown got to feed raisins while they waited for Santa to arrive. Brown asked Santa for guinea pig stuffed animals because she has two real guinea pigs at home, she said.

Duane Brown, who has lived in Aurora for about 10 years, said the lights and the reindeer bring them back every year.

Gillian Slevin and her daughter Lila Slevin, 6, came to the event from Denver to support Slevin’s husband, who sings in an Aurora choir performing at the event.

Lila loved seeing the live reindeer, she said.

The annual event is one of many upcoming holiday events in the city, including the annual festival of wreaths and storytimes with Santa and the Grinch.

More information about future holiday festivities can be found on the Visit Aurora and City of Aurora‘s websites.