Tower Lighting

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More than a half century ago WRAL-TV began an annual holiday tradition that–to this day—lights up the night skies of West Raleigh and brings excitement and wonder to children of all ages. Each December the station turns its 300-foot-tall transmitting tower into the biggest Christmas tree in North Carolina.

The tradition began in 1959 as the brainchild of CBC founder A.J. Fletcher. At his urging, station engineers scaled the tower and strung colored lights top to bottom. It took nearly 3,000 lights to complete the job, but the results were spectacular and a tradition was born.

Early each December the tower lights are turned on during a special program featuring carolers, musicians and a variety of festive entertainment. The lights shine throughout the month of December and always draw a crowd.

In the early ‘60s, traffic jams would form as cars filled with tower-gazers backed up along Western Boulevard. Even today, hundreds of visitors come to the station to join the excitement when the switch is thrown and the lights of the WRAL-TV tower shine once again.

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Highlights for Tower Lighting

WRAL to light towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount on Nov. 29

The annual WRAL Tower Lighting is scheduled for Nov. 29, 2023. Tune in to WRAL-TV at 7 p.m. to for a live, half-hour special of music and holiday cheer as we count down to when towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount get their holiday glow. WRAL will welcome special musical guests the 82nd Airborne […]
CBC to Light Towers at WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills on Dec 1st

It’s time to Celebrate the Season with WRAL’s 63rd Annual Tower Lighting! Join CBC on Wednesday, December 1st, as we turn our 300-foot TV tower into North Carolina’s tallest lighted tree! But! That’s just part of the fun! CBC will also light the towers at our sister properties at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and […]
Making the Season Merry, Festive and Safe: Behind the Scenes of the WRAL Tower Lighting Special

“Producing the WRAL Tower Lighting is my favorite assignment every year. Every year, it’s amazing how many people from various departments come together for this project.” – WRAL-TV News Producer Kelly Riner WRAL-TV supersized the tower lighting for 2020, combining the lighting celebrations from American Tobacco’s Lucky Strike Tower, the Rocky Mount Mills Water Tower […]
Annual WRAL Tower Lighting Special Expands to Include American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills

While some holiday traditions will suffer in 2020, the annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower is getting bigger and better. Tune in on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. for a Tower Lighting Special, brought to you from three locations – WRAL’s Western Boulevard station, American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills. WRAL is […]
CBC Towers at WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Light for the Holidays This Week with Special Celebrations

It will soon look a lot like Christmas at the CBC towers across the Triangle: WRAL-TV Tower Lighting CBC will light the WRAL-TV tower for the 61st time on Monday, December 2, 2019. A special will air at 7pm to celebrate the lighting of the 300-foot tower to light Santa’s way to Raleigh for the […]

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Tower Lighting

Highlights for Tower Lighting

WRAL to light towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount on Nov. 29

CBC to Light Towers at WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills on Dec 1st

Making the Season Merry, Festive and Safe: Behind the Scenes of the WRAL Tower Lighting Special

Annual WRAL Tower Lighting Special Expands to Include American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills

CBC Towers at WRAL-TV, American Tobacco & Rocky Mount Mills Light for the Holidays This Week with Special Celebrations