American Idol star Jordin Sparks headlines Reliant Lights Mayor's Holiday Spectacular

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Downtown Houston is ready for Christmas!

A large crowd showed up on Saturday for the Reliant Lights Mayor's Holiday Spectacular at Hermann Square at City Hall, a holiday tradition, and saw the tree lighting.

American Idol star and Grammy nominee Jordin Sparks headlined the event featuring hit songs from her certified platinum self-titled album, featuring "No Air" and "Tattoo."

Sparks rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of American Idol at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. She was nominated for a GMA DOVE Award for her number-one single, "King & Country."

The holiday variety show will also include performances by Mariachi Prodigy - Eduardo Trevino, Houston Children's Chorus, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts theatre department, Dance of Asian America, Theatre Under the Stars, Segundo Barrio Children's Chorus, Ernest Walker and the Official Holiday Band.

Everyone also got an extra treat from ABC13's own Samica Knight, who emceed the event.

The event finale featured the lighting of the tree and the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah, which was orchestrated and timed with the fireworks. This year's tree is lit with nearly 100,000 lights and 4,000 ornaments.

During Saturday's event, ABC13 and Disney accepted donations to Houston Food Bank and Toys for Tots.

There is an urgent need for meals on the Texas Gulf Coast this holiday season, with about a million people in our area alone not having enough access to food.

You can help make the season brighter with a donation to Houston Food Bank. Just text "SYH2023" to 71777 to donate. Every dollar you give provides three meals for the hungry.

As part of Disney Ultimate Toy Drive, Disney is providing grants to Toys for Tots that will deliver an additional 75,000 toys to kids in need, including 5,000 toys right here in the Houston area.

You can be part of these efforts to inspire hope and deliver joy this holiday season.

Donate a toy now at shopDisney.com through Dec. 24, 2023, or donate a new, unwrapped toy in person at the Disney Store at Houston Premium Outlets. Their address is 29300 Hempstead Rd, in Cypress.

If you missed the spectacle or want to relive those joyful moments, you can watch the best moment from it in a one-hour special that airs Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. on ABC13.