Anyone who has ever put lights on a Christmas tree knows it's a tricky task. But for Rick DeClute, that's no big deal — he puts up 80,000 lights on 15 trees in the Beach every holiday season.

DeClute's company, DeClute Real Estate, is the co-ordinator of the Light Up The Beach event, which kicks off the holidays in the east-end neighbourhood Friday night.

For each of the past nine years, DeClute's team has strung up around 20,000 linear feet of lights by the boardwalk.

"It takes us a month to put them up — two guys and two cranes," he told CBC's Metro Morning Friday.

Rick DeClute and his team string up around 20,000 linear feet of lights by the boardwalk every year. (Light Up The Beach/Facebook)

At 7:00pm on Friday, Santa Claus will be at the foot of Leuty Avenue to light up the trees one by one. Guest singers Emma Harvey and MPP Arthur Potts, The Malvern C.I. band, and The Malvern C.I. choir will also be on hand.

DeClute said the event is meant to bring more people down to the boardwalk in the wintertime.

"It looks spectacular, especially if you get out on a kayak or a boat in the water," DeClute said.

The lights, strung up as high as 65 feet through the oak, maple and willow trees lining the shores of Lake Ontario, will stay up until February.

The event supports The Michael Garron Hospital Foundation to help people struggling with mental health and addiction.

For more details, check out the 2016 Light Up The Beach Facebook event.