WRAL lights towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

THOUSANDS. I'M BILL GRAHAM.

>> WELCOME TO THE 65TH ANNUAL

TOWER LIGHTING SHOWING THE WRAL

FAMILY WITH SPECIAL GUEST LUCAS

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORUS SCREAM AND

BRIDGE BLUEGRASS IN THE 82ND

AIRBORNE DIVISION COURSE.

AS WE COUNTDOWN TO THE BIG

MOMENT FOR CELEBRATION STARTS

NOW. HERE ARE YOUR HOST DEBORAH

MORGAN AND GERALD OWENS.

>> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU

FOR JOINING US FOR THE

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL WRAL TOWER

LIGHTING SPECIAL. SIT BACK,

GRAB SOME HOT CHOCOLATE.

IT'S CHILLY AND FESTIVE OUT.

HERE WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT

BRINGING YOU THIS TRADITION

FROM CAPITAL BROADCASTING AND

WRAL IN THE 82ND AIRBORNE

COURSE IS GOING TO BE WITH US

TO PERFORM LIVE TONIGHT.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEM FOR

BEING HERE, OF COURSE. BUT MORE

IMPORTANTLY FOR THE SERVICE TO

OUR CONSULATE LEE, THEIR

AMAZING FOR THE 4TH TIME WE

ARE TAKING THIS CELEBRATION

BEYOND OUR CAMPUS HERE AT

WESTERN BOULEVARD. WE HAVE

TRIPLED THE EXCITEMENT AND

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LIVE

REPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FROM

THE AMERICAN TOBACCO CAMPUS

IN DURHAM AND FROM ROCKY MOUNT

MILLS IN ROCKY MOUNT, THERE'S A

HUGE CELEBRATION ALREADY

UNDERWAY IN DURHAM RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, THAT IS WHERE WE FIND

WRAL. DAN HAGGERTY, DAN, WE

HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THEY'RE

ENDURING WHO ARE GATHERED.

THEY ARE BUNDLED UP. THEY ARE

EXCITED ABOUT SEEING.

>> THAT TOWER LIT AND THE

AMERICANS ARE BACK ON TO

CAMPUS.

>> WAR IN NUMBERS. I'M LOVING

THIS WEATHER. THE CROWD IS

HAVING A GREAT TIME. EVERYBODY

IS ALL BUNDLED UP. THEY GOT

THEIR HATS ON IN THEIR SCARVES

ARE OUT HIGH-LEVEL. THE ONES

THAT THEY HAND OUT HERE, THE

KIDS, THEY GO CRAZY LENA

TILLETT JUST TOOK THE STAGE A

MOMENT AGO STARTING TO GET

EVERYBODY READY FOR THE

FESTIVITIES. THIS PLACE IS

ABSOLUTELY PACKED FOR THE TOWER

LIGHTING TONIGHT. A LOT OF

EXCITEMENT, PEOPLE IN THE

FEELING OFF FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

ONE OF THE CUTEST THINGS WE

HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT ARE

GOING TO BE PERFORMING ON THE

STAGE TONIGHT. AND I WAS IN A

BACK ROOM. I SAW A BIG GROUP OF

A LITTLE KID DANCERS AND THEY

WERE SO EXCITED. THEY'RE

RUNNING AROUND SMILES, EAR TO

EAR. AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THIS

IS ABOUT IS BRINGING COMMUNITY

TOGETHER AND JUST HAVING A GOOD

TIME. WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE

THIS TOWER. CHECK BACK WITH US

IN JUST A BIT. IN THE MEANTIME,

GERALD, DEBORAH, BACK TO YOU.

>> LOOKING SO PRETTY, I CAN'T

WAIT TO SEE AT ALL LIT UP.

DAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL

BE BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU WITH

A LIVE PERFORMANCE AND THE

LIGHTING OF THE LUCKY STRIKE

TOWER.

>> AND WE HAVE A LOT TO PACK

INTO TONIGHT. SPECIAL. LET'S

CHECK IN ROCKY MOUNT MILLS.

THAT'S WHERE WE FIND WRAL'S

ASHLEY ROW. ASK YOU THIS IS

YOUR FIRST TOWER LIGHTING HERE

AT WRAL CELEBRATION ALREADY

UNDER WAY WHERE YOU ARE TOO.

>> I'VE BEEN HAVING SO MUCH

FUN. AND GUYS, THIS IS THE

MAGIC OF THE SEASON. WE HAVE

SNOW BEHIND US AND UNDERNEATH

THE SNOW. WE'VE GOT MICKEY

MOUSE AND ELSA FROM FROZEN.

JUST A SAMPLE OF ALL THE FUN

THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING HERE

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS.

WE'VE HAD.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT ROCKY

MOUNT MILLS. I'VE BEEN MAKING

SOME FRIENDS. WE'VE GOT RODNEY.

AND KATIE, ARE YOU HAVING FUN

TONIGHT? YEAH.

>> YOU MET SANTA TONIGHT.

2 WALKS. ALL. WE'VE GOT SO MUCH

COMING UP, INCLUDING THE

SCREAMIN BRIDGE BLUEGRASS BAND

BEFORE THE FABULOUS. LIGHTING

COMING UP IN JUST A LITTLE BIT,

GUYS.

>> ALSO MOSTLY IN A COMA.

FEW MINUTES. ACTUALLY. THANK

YOU. WERE GOING LIKE THAT TOWER

IN ROCKY MOUNT MILLS IN JUST

A FEW MINUTES TO LET YOUR LOVE

SEEING THE KIDS. YEAH, SO

EXCITED AND THEY'RE ALL LIT

UP BEFORE WE EVEN LIKE THAT.

I LOVE THAT. AND WE HAVE A VERY

SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE RIGHT

HERE ON HAND TO HELP US

CELEBRATE THIS SEASON RIGHT

HERE AT WRAL ON

WESTERN BOULEVARD. YOU

RECOGNIZE THEM, RIGHT? WE'RE SO

PLEASED TO WELCOME THE 82ND

AIRBORNE CORPS FROM FORT

LIBERTY.

>> YOU ALL HAD SUCH AN AMAZING

RUN OUT. AMERICA'S GOT TALENT,

BUT WE GET TO CLAIM VIEW FROM

THE RIGHT HERE IN NORTH

CAROLINA. YEAH. IF IT TO YOU

GUYS ARE SO PROUD OF WHAT YOU

ON THE JOB SHE DID ON

TELEVISION AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO

LISTEN TO YOU SAYING HERE'S

WHAT YOU ALL SOUNDED LIKE ON

THE SHOW.

>> THEY

>> NOW THE JUDGES VIEWERS,

EVERYONE, DEBORAH, NICE SO

IMPRESSED BY 4 MONTHS. I KNOW.

ABSOLUTELY. AND WE'RE EXCITED

TO HEAR YOU SING A CHRISTMAS

FAVORITE. SO WITHOUT FURTHER

ADO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE

82ND AIRBORNE CORPS, SOME FORT

LIBERTY.

>> I MEANT ABOUT, YOU

IT TO

9, 1,

TO HOW AMAZING. THANK YOU MUCH

DOWN A GREAT FAVOR TO A HAPPY

BIRTHDAY. YEAH. HAHA. LOOK

FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL

AGAIN IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE. YEAH.

WREL'S TOWER LIGHTING DECADES

OVER THE DECADES LONG

TRADITION. WE HAVE CELEBRATED

THIS EVERY YEAR. KEEPING OUR

COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

ABSOLUTELY. GERALD, YOU AND I

HAVE BEEN HERE SO MANY OF THESE

YEARS. THIS IS MY 30TH MY MY

21ST. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT

THAT. AND IT NEVER GETS OLD.

HAS ITS ON MUCH.

WHO ARE NEW? HERE IS A LITTLE

BIT OF A HISTORY OF THIS BEGAN

IN THE LATE 1950'S AND CAPITOL

BROADCASTING FOUNDER AJ

FLETCHER.

>> WOULD READ A CHRISTMAS,

CAROL, TO VIEWERS BEFORE THE

300 FOOT TOWER WAS LIT, THIS

TRADITION EVOLVED OVER THE

YEARS AND EACH YEAR IT'S

GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.

AND EVERY YEAR IT SEEMS LIKE

WE HAVE NEW MEMORIES, NEW

TRADITIONS. AND THAT'S WHAT

KEEPS IT. SO SPECIAL. IT REALLY

DOES. ALL RIGHT. WE REACHED THE

TIME OVER LET OUR FIRST HOUR OF

2023. ALL RIGHT. LET'S BEGIN

IN DURHAM, WHERE A HUGE

CELEBRATION IS UNDERWAY.

LET'S GO BACK TO DAN RIGHT NOW

IN DURHAM.

>> FAMILIES, AS YOU SAID, DAD,

HAVING THEIR TRADITION STARTED

RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE YOUNG

PEOPLE IN THE CROWDS HERE WITH

GENERATIONS WHO HAVE ENJOYED

THIS TOWER LIGHTING AS WE GET

READY TO SEND THINGS OVER TO

THE STAGE TO LENA TILLETT AND

THE ONE AND ONLY SANTA CLAUS

TO LIKE THE TOWER HERE IN

DURHAM.

>> AND MISSUS, CLAUS, ARE YOU

IN THE BUILDING?

>> SO GREAT TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED ALL OF

YOUR HELP TO LIKE THIS BIG

SHOWER. YOU COULD HELP US

TONIGHT.

ALMOST GIVE THIS BACK BECAUSE

WE'RE ALMOST READING, OKAY,

WE'RE READY TO LIGHT THE TOWER.

>> OK? SO YOU HAVE TO DO THE

COUNTDOWN WITH US. YOU'RE AT

>> EVERYBODY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> AND HERE WE GO TO OUR NUMBER

ONE LIT UP IN THE SKY HERE.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT. I'M

HOPING IT LOOKS GORGEOUS AT

HOME THROUGH THE CAMERA LENS AS

IT DOES HERE IN PERSON ALL OVER

THE AREA TONIGHT WILL BE

CELEBRATING. THANKS FOR DOING

A LITTLE BIT OF IT WITH US HERE

IN DURHAM. DEBORAH GERALD, BACK

TO YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT, DAN, THANK YOU

VERY MUCH. WHAT A WONDERFUL

TIME THERE WE HAVE TO GO.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT'S SO EXCITING

ABOUT ALL OF THIS. WE'LL SEE

YOU AGAIN DAN. SOON AS THAT

PEOPLE CELEBRATE THEIR IN

DURHAM. MUCH MORE TO COME ON

WRAL'S TOWER LIGHTING SPECIAL.

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE

SOUTHERN SNOWMAN. HER PROVIDING

THIS SNOW FOR TONIGHT. IT'S NOT

COMING FROM THE SKY, BUT WE

HAVE THE FESTIVE SNOW ANYWAY TO

APPRECIATE THEM. AND THAT'S

GOING TO SKY 5 FOR A LIVE LOOK

AT THE WRAL PLAZA WHERE WE ARE

STANDING. WE WILL LIKE THAT

300 FOOT TOWER FOR THE 65TH

TIME.

>> AND THIS IS THE FIRST OF

OUR COMPANY'S 3 TOWERS SHINING

BRIGHTLY. NOW WITH HOLIDAY

LIGHTS. JUST MOMENTS AGO, YOU

SAW HERE WE FLIP THE SWITCH

ON A TOWER AT THE AMERICAN

TOBACCO CAMPUS IN DURHAM.

AND IN LESS THAN 3 MINUTES,

WE HAD BACK TO ROCKY MOUNT FOR

A LIVE PERFORMANCE AND THE

LIGHTING OF THE TOWER AT ROCKY

MOUNT MILLS. SO POLICE IT BACK.

STAY WITH US AND ENJOY THE

SEASON.

>> WELCOME TO THE WRAL WEATHER

PATIO. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE

ALL THAT DOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

YES, WE ARE MIKE AND THE

HOLIDAY SEASON WE KNOW IS A

TIME FOR GIVING AND THERE'S

NO BETTER WAY TO SPREAD THE

WARMTH OF YOUR HEART. THEN BY

DONATING A COAT TO A CHILD IN

NEED DURING WRAL'S ANNUAL COATS

FOR THE CHILDREN CAMPAIGN.

FOR 35 YEARS, WRAL HAS

PARTNERED WITH THE SALVATION

ARMY TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN

NEED. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO

DONATE GENTLY

USED COATS, HATS AND GLOVES.

STOUT BEEN A CHILD FOR WINTER

FOR A LIST OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

IF YOU DROP OFF LOCATIONS OR

TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION

VISIT WRAL DOT COM SLASH COATS

AND YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW.

JUST SCAN THE QR CODE ON YOUR

SCREEN TO GIVE ANY AMOUNT TO

HELP WRAL MAKE A POSITIVE

DIFFERENCE FOR LOCAL CHILDREN

IN NEED. GIVING A LITTLE CAN

HELP A LOT TOGETHER. WE CAN

MAKE THE HOLIDAY SEASON WARMER

AND HAPPIER FOR LOCAL CHILDREN

LET WRAL ME.

>> AND WELCOME BACK TO WRAL'S

TOWER LIGHTING SPECIAL. YOU

ARE TAKING A LIVE LOOK FROM

SKY 5 OF THE WRAL CAMPUS.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LIKE THE

TOWER HERE AND JUST ABOUT LESS

THAN 10 MINUTES, MAYBE ABOUT

5 MINUTES OR SO. THAT'S WHY.

BUT FIRST, LET'S CONTINUE OUR

CELEBRATION OF THE SEASON.

YEAH. YEAH. ROCKY MOUNT MILLS

IS THE NEXT. AND WE I LOVE TO

SEE THIS TOWER LIT UP TO.

>> LET'S GO TO WRAL. ASHLEY

ROW. ASHLEY, YOUR FIRST TOWER

LIGHTING. TAKE IT AWAY.

>> I'M HAVING SO MUCH FUN,

GUYS. THIS TOWER IS GOING TO BE

LET IN JUST A COUPLE OF

MINUTES. FIRST WE'RE GOING TO

HEAR FROM THE FABULOUS

SCREAMING BRIDGE BAND JUST A

MOMENT. BUT I'VE GOT MY FRIEND

JOE TSAI HERE WITH ME. JUST I

GOT THAT BIG JOB OF LIGHTING

THE TOWER JUST A COUPLE OF

MINUTES. JUST I WANT TO TELL

THE FOLKS AT HOME. I WANT TO

SAY THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME

TO FORCE THE AMAZING REDBUD

AND I WANT TO SAY.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AS SAFE AN

ENVIRONMENT THAT IS. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS. JUS I HEAR IS SCREAMING

BRIDGE. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

AND WITH CHRISTMAS TIME TO COME

AND THAT WAS FANTASTIC. I THANK

YOU SO MUCH. I'VE GOT JOE TSAI

HERE WITH THE RED BUTTON AND

I'VE GOT HEIDI KIRK R NO

SUGGESTION TO WRAL, OK, JOSIAH.

>> IT IS TIME FOR THAT

COUNTDOWN, EVERYBODY. LET'S

LEAVE IT OFF. JUST SIDE HIGH.

>> AND CHRIS IS EVERYBODY IS A

BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS TO RICH GUYS. WE'LL SEND

IT BACK TO YOU.

>> ASHLEY, THE CAMPUS THERE,

ROCKY MOUNT MILLS. LOOK SO

FESTIVE DOES ABSOLUTELY

PERFECT. DOES WE KICK OFF THE

CHRISTMAS SEASON? THAT'S RIGHT.

2 DOWN ONE TO GO BACK TO THAT

SCENE JUST A FEW MINUTES.

WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY A GREAT

NIGHT TO GET INTO THE HOLIDAY

SPIRIT FOR SURE WHAT TO TAKE A

LIVE LOOK AT OUR 3 TOWERS RIGHT

NOW. 2 OF THE 3 THE LIGHTS HAVE

BEEN THROWN.

>> READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

WE'RE JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM

LIGHTING THE WRAL TOWER.

HERE'S A LIVE LOOK FROM SKY 5

OVER THE PLAZA HERE WHERE THE

SKYLINE WILL LOOK A LOT

BRIGHTER IN JUST A MOMENT.

SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE. WE'RE

GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND

BE RIGHT BACK.

NORTH CAROLINA.

>> AND THE WAIT IS OVER.

WE ALL FEEL LIKE KIDS

EXCITING. YEAH. AND YOU NEVER

FOR THIS. SO WE ARE READY TO

THROW THE LIGHT ON THE TOWER

WITH SOME MEMBERS HAVE WRAL

FAMILY, THE 82ND AIRBORNE

COURSE IS HERE TO HELP US WITH

THE COUNTDOWN AS WELL. ARE YOU

READY FOR THAT? WHAT'S BEEN

>> TO WHAT END LIKE THAT OUT.

HAVE YOU ON THE MERRY CHRISTMAS

TO EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU

JOINED US NOW. LET'S LISTEN TO

THE 82ND AIRBORNE CORPS

>> SECOND. YOU ALL WANT TO YOU

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO A I'M NOT

SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE

POSSIBLE THAT WE GOT ONE.

THAT WAS AWESOME. THANK YOU,

GUYS. GREAT JOB. YEAH. AND YOU

KNOW, WE'VE HAD A GREAT TIME

HERE. WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR AND

I'VE DONE THIS IS MY 21ST.

THIS IS YOUR 30TH, MIKE.

YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 2029 OF

THEM. YOU GUYS HERE COLLECTING

THEM AS WE SPEAK AT EXACTLY

RIGHT FOR YOU. GIVE US ALL INTO

THE MOOD TO REALLY HELP YOU AT

HOME. FEEL THE SAME WAY.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK NOW AT ALL 3

OF OUR TOWERS HERE ACCOUNT OF

BROADCASTING WE'VE GOT DURHAM,

ROCKY MOUNT MILLS AND RIGHT

HERE ON WESTERN BOULEVARD IN

RALEIGH. LET'S GO ONE MORE TIME

OUT TO ROCKY MOUNT MILLS.

ASHLEY ROW IS OUT THERE FOR

A SASH.

>> IT HAS BEEN SUCH A GREAT

TIME, GUYS. I'VE MADE SO MANY

FRIENDS. WHAT A GREAT COMMUNITY

EVENT AT A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN

LIVE WORK AND PLAY REALLY A

COMMUNITY HUB HERE AND ROCKY

MOUNT. WE HAVE HAD SANTA CLAUS

AND MISSUS CLAUS HERE. WE'VE

HAD LIVE MUSIC. WE'VE HAD FOOD

TRUCKS, HORSE AND CARRIAGE

RIDES CRAFTS FOR KIDS TO REALLY

HAS BEEN EVERYTHING FOR THE

WHOLE FAMILY. ONE OF THE

ARCHITECTS OF THIS WHOLE THING

IS, EVAN, I WANT TO BRING YOU

OVER HERE, EVAN, HOW HAS THE

NIGHT BEEN GOING SO FAR?

IT'S BEEN SUCH A GREAT NIGHT.

I MEAN, I LOVE THIS NIGHT.

IT'S A CHICKEN KICKOFF TO THE

SEASON. I THINK I SAW GRANT

RUNNING AROUND SOMEWHERE JUST

A GREAT WAY TO START THE

HOLIDAY SEASON. YEAH. AND ELSA

MICKEY MOUSE, EVERYBODY'S BEEN

OUT HERE. IT'S BEEN SUCH A GOOD

TIME. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING

THIS ON. IT IS REALLY JUST SO

WONDERFUL. ANOTHER EXCELLENT

PLACE WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE

TO RING IN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

IS IN DURHAM. DAN HAGGERTY IS

OVER. THERE HAS BEEN GOING

DOWN.

>> WELL, WHAT I'M ASHLEY WITH

THE TOWER IS LIT ATC. IT MARKS

THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT,

NOT THE END. THE PARTY IS GOING

STRONG HERE. I'M TONY. I DON'T

THINK ANYBODY IS LEFT. SO

THEY'RE HERE TO WATCH A LOT OF

THE COMMUNITY IN THE KIDS UP ON

THE STAGE DOING ACTS THAT THEY

HAVE WORKED ON. IT ARE SO

EXCITED. EXCITED TO SHOW

EVERYONE. IT IS A REALLY GREAT

WAY TO KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY

SEASON HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND OF COURSE, I'M PROUD TO

BE A PART OF IT HERE IN OTHER

THING IS WHEN THEY PLAY THE

MUSIC, YOU CAN KIND OF MOVE

AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND PRETEND

THAT YOU'RE NOT REAL COLD

PEOPLE BEEN HANDLING THAT

REALLY WELL TONIGHT. A LOT MORE

TO DO DOWN HERE. ALL THE

RESTAURANTS ARE HOPPING.

PEOPLE ARE EXCITED. FAMILIES

HAVING A GOOD TIME.

>> AS THE BEAUTIFUL TOWER STAYS

LIT HERE AT A T C WE'LL SEND IT

BACK YEAH. THANK YOU. ALWAYS

PACKED THERE DURING A TO SEE

FOR THIS COLORFUL, SO MUCH

FESTIVITY. WE LOVE IT. AND

>> WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR

ENTERTAINERS IN OUR CO-HOST AND

DURHAM AND ROCKY MOUNT. AND OF

COURSE, HERE AT WRAL IN RALEIGH

AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE

82ND AIRBORNE CORPS.

>> NOT ONLY FOR YOUR

PERFORMANCES TONIGHT, THE FOR

YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY

ALL YEAR AROUND IT. AWESOME.

>> ENJOY THE TOWER. IF YOU'RE

HERE IN THE AREA IN RALEIGH AND

DURHAM AND IN ROCKY MOUNT.

AND JUST A REMINDER, STAY RIGHT

HERE ON WRAL FOR NBC'S

CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER

CENTER. KELLY CLARKSON IS A

HOSE, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT,

EVERYBODY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.