Athens' Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center will open its Christmas season on Nov. 29 with a free tree-lighting celebration, an ice rink and an outdoor light installation by French artist Cédric Le Borgne.
The lights go on at 5:30 p.m. Thousands of bulbs will light up 82 plane trees along the center's canal, and three tall fir trees will stand in its main square.
The center's choreographed fountains will play holiday music.
Actress Evgenia Samara will host the evening, which will be broadcast live on the state channel ERT3 and streamed to St. Demetrios, a Greek Orthodox community in Merrick, New York.
The ice rink on the north bank of the canal will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Jan. 7.
Admission is free, weather permitting.
This year, for the first time, skaters will have live music.
For the 10th edition of the center's light festival, Mr. Le Borgne's "Dreamscape" will fill the surrounding park with glowing fish, birds and floating human figures. None of the works have been shown in Greece before.
December events include concerts by German singer Ute Lemper and Greece's national broadcaster's symphony orchestra, and a family play, "The Fourth Wise Man."
Comedian Giorgos Kapoutzidis will host the New Year's Eve celebration, which includes fireworks.
Events are free or low-cost, funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.