FILE -- Jake McElheny, of Layton, carries his daughter, Ella, 2, while his wife, Christi, carries Ella's twin sister, Grace, as they check out the first night of the annual Christmas lights display at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — One of Utah’s largest tourist attractions will be open to the public for Christmas. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Temple Square will be open with displays and limited lights as construction continues on the multi-year update process for the historic Salt Lake Temple.
On Friday the church said that due to the ongoing construction on the grounds and the COVID-19 pandemic plans have been modified, but there will still be plenty to do in person, and online around Christmas.
The short answer is yes! The church said that lights this year on Temple Square will be limited in number due to the massive construction projects underway at the Salt Lake Temple and on its grounds. But there will still be lights on the grounds.
The first night for lights on Temple Square is Friday, November 26.
Also, the collection of international nativities will be on display near the Assembly Hall.
And visitors will also see a return of the church’s Light the World Giving Machines across the street from Temple Square at the City Creek mall.
Peace on Earth at the Salt Lake Tabernacle beginning Nov. 26
One of the new displays on Temple Square for Christmas this year will be a new presentation named Peace on Earth. It begins on November 26th. The church said the presentation will be a show projected onto the ceiling of the Salt Lake Tabernacle that, “uses shadow graphics, narration and musical underscore to tell the Christmas story in a child-friendly way that adults will also enjoy.”
Showings run every 15 minutes from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and will be offered in both English and Spanish. Resources for the images and audio will be available at TempleSquare.org so people can enjoy them in their own homes as well.
Witnesses of Christ online Nov. 28 at 6:00 pm
The church said they will be kicking off the Christmas season with a virtual musical presentation titled Witnesses of Christ on November 28 at 6:00 p.m. on their website. They say the 50-minute presentation will focus on the divinity of Jesus Christ and his birth and provide, “thought-provoking messages and new arrangements of favorite carols performed by the Truman Brothers, the Utah State University Chamber Singers, Daniel Beck and many others.”
The virtual musical will be broadcast live online and will be available for on-demand viewing immediately after the event.
First Presidency Christmas Devotional Dec. 5 at 6:00 pm
The annual Christmas devotional given by the top leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will take place again on Sunday, December 5 at 6:00 pm.
During this broadcast members of the church’s leadership will offer Christmas messages accompanied by music by The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
The event will not have a public audience this year, however, it will be broadcast online.
The church said that all attendees at any events on Temple Square are required to wear masks and be vaccinated if in the eligible age categories.
Bonneville International Corporation, the company that owns KSL NewsRadio, is a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Related:
Renovating a pioneer temple: Inside the process of updating the Salt Lake Temple
128 year old Salt Lake Temple time capsule opened
Visitors and tourism officials happy about Temple Square reopening
Listen louder than you sing: inside the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square