(12.2) Head downtown this weekend for the PVD Winter Lights Market and Tree Lighting featuring food, public arts installations, entertainment, and two tree lighting ceremonies.

This year we will also offer the Winter Lights Market, an artisan market which will be housed in a heated tent between the City Center skating rink and Burnside Park. The Market will give visitors the opportunity to check out and purchase art, gifts, and creative culinary products made by local artists and artisans.

City Hall Tree Lighting: 5pm, Friday, December 1.

Appearances by Brendan Kirby from the Rhode Show, Festival Ballet, Circus Dynamics’ fire jugglers, the What Cheer Brigade, Bronx singer and songwriter Andre Veloz, and the Sackett Street Elementary School choir, which will help light the holiday tree on the steps of City Hall.

Skating Rink Tree Lighting: 5:45pm, Saturday, December 2.

Folks can begin shopping at noon and enjoy programming throughout the day featuring a performance from the Brown University Ice Skating Band and the holiday figure skating showcase, “Christmas in the City.”

Public skating reopens at 7:15pm, after the showcase. Or go over to the Winter Lights Stage, on the east approach, for the Ricky Rainbowbeard Show, followed at 8pm by Bellerophon.

Go here for complete schedule and details.