Genesee Brewery's keg tree, an annual yuletide tradition in Rochester, will return this year after an absence due to the pandemic.
The 27-foot keg tree made up of 532 Genesee kegs is going up this week, and it will be lit up nightly through the middle of January.
Unlike previous years, however, in which the display was launched with a lighting ceremony that drew hundreds of onlookers, the brewery plans to celebrate the season with 12 activities tailored to smaller crowds.
“Given the pandemic and staffing shortages at the Genesee Brew House, this was the best way to continue this important tradition," said Malcolm Franklin, the Genesee Brew House manager. "We are happy to be back."
The festivities, dubbed "12 Days of Keg Tree," kick off on Dec. 6 with the release of Keg Tree Ale, a cinnamon cream ale. The mix of small-scale entertainment is scheduled to continue through Dec. 19.
Randy Gorbman is the news director at WXXI News, a media partner of CITY.
