The Christmas season kicked off with a bang last weekend, with several festive events held throughout Surrey.

As Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said, "Christmas is upon us."

The weekend events started with Saturday's eighthour Tree Lighting Festival at Central City Plaza, which featured live music, family activities and roving performers.

The live entertainment included performances by Cover Me Canada finalist Ali Milner, Surrey Celebration Dance Team, Fefe Dobson and These Kids Wear Crowns.

Several thousand people showed up. "It was very festive. There was a lot of singing and Christmas carols," Watts said.

At 55 feet, the Christmas tree adorned with thousands of lights is considered B.C.'s tallest.

Watts said Central City Plaza is a perfect location for Surrey's "official" Christmas tree.

"You can see it from the SkyTrain station. It's beautiful." And the Grey Cup made an appearance at the event.

"The audience was absolutely over the moon with excitement when Wally (Buono) brought out the trophy," Watts said. "It was certainly fitting to have it here in Surrey."

Grade 8 boys from Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary school, who just won a provincial football championship, got up on stage with Buono, head coach of the Lions.

The festivities continued Sunday. Santa's Parade of Lights kicked off in Cloverdale at 5 p.m. Huge trucks decorated with Christmas lights led floats and marching bands in the parade. Watts said the community came out to the parade in full force.

"It was just absolutely packed with families and again, it was just a wonderful night," she said.

The Big Rigs Lighted Truck Parade, which led the Cloverdale parade pack, then made its way to a viewing area at King George Boulevard and 73rd Avenue.

Holland Park was the truck parade's final destination Sunday night, where a few hundred people came out to see the trucks. Bonnie Burnside with the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association said the Big Rig Lighted Truck Parade was "spectacular."

"It's really a great community feeling," Burnside said. "Kids were dancing in front of the stage. To me, that's always a good sign, especially when it's zero degrees. We should include more dancing to warm people up I guess," she added with a chuckle.

Donations for the Surrey Food Bank were collected at all three events over the weekend and also at Sunday's annual free family movie at the Clova Theatre, sponsored by Jim and Stephen Gammer.

"We had the busiest weekend we've ever had that I can remember," said Marilyn Herrmann, executive director of Surrey Food Bank.

Also on Saturday, JRFM held its Basics for Babies campaign in Langley at Save-On Foods, which benefited Surrey Food Bank.

During the event on Saturday, a one-tonne truck was packed to the rim with items for the food bank.

JRFM also gave the food bank the truck.

"We filled the truck full of baby food, diapers and other items. In fact, I'm watching them unload the truck right now and it's just incredible."

Hermann said it's wonderful for so many events to "remember the food bank."

"We don't just feed people at Christmas, we're feeding people all year round," Hermann said, but added that Christmas is definitely when they stock up.

"We hope that what we collect at Christmas will last us on to May, June, July - that's our ultimate goal."

The Surrey Food Bank has extended hours this holiday season, to allow for more donations.

The food bank is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for donations as well as Saturday, Dec. 10, 17 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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