Hollywood icon Richard Gere will visit Murcia next week to switch on the city's Great Christmas Tree in Plaza Circular, transforming an already beloved annual tradition into an unforgettable night for thousands of residents and visitors.
Gere, known for his acclaimed roles in An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman and Days of Heaven, will preside over the ceremony on Friday, November 28. The actor will be in Spain with his family to attend a documentary presentation in Madrid for the Hogar Sí Foundation, an organisation he has supported since 2015.
Seizing the opportunity, Murcia City Council extended an invitation for him to lead one of the region's most anticipated festive events.
The actor's ties to Spain go beyond his public appearances. Gere is married to Spanish activist and businesswoman Alejandra Silva, and he has long demonstrated a strong commitment to social issues affecting the country.
Murcia's Christmas celebrations are already underway, however, with a city-wide lights switch-on by Argentine tenor Martín Savi, on Saturday.
The lighting of the Great Christmas Tree in Plaza Circular has become a cornerstone of Murcia's festive season, attracting major public figures in previous years. Past ceremonies have included appearances by tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, singer Ruth Lorenzo and Operación Triunfo winner Rosa López.
This year, however, a Hollywood legend will take centre stage.