News

Actions

Capitol Christmas Tree from Idaho to make cross-country trek

Posted at 12:14 PM, Sep 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-13 14:14:52-04

This year’s Capitol Christmas tree will be coming from the Payette National Forest –- and will embark on a cross-country tour from Idaho to Washington D.C. starting in November.

The event continues a fifty-year tradition, in which a Christmas tree has graced the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the holiday season.

Officials from both the Payette National Forest and the nonprofit group Choose Outdoors will accompany the tree on his journey, a trip that involves stopping at more than 25 communities along the way.

The 80-foot Engelmann Spruce is the second U.S. Capitol Christmas tree to come from Idaho. It will be cut on Nov. 2 near McCall and prepared for the 2,000-mile expedition.

Stops along the way include:

-McCall, ID (Nov. 5 from 5:00 –7:00 p.m. at Downtown McCall, 1000 2nd Street)

-Cascade, ID (Nov. 6 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Kelly’s Whitewater Park, E Mill St)

-Horseshoe Bend, ID (Nov. 6 from 1 – 2 p.m. at Horseshoe Bend School District #73, 398 School Drive)

-Boise, ID (Nov. 6 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Cabela’s, 8109 West Franklin Road)

-Boise, ID (Nov. 7 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Idaho State Capitol, 700 W Jefferson St)

-Weiser, ID (Nov. 8 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Main Street)

-Council, ID (Nov. 8 from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. at 101 Bleeker Street)

-New Meadows, ID (Nov. 9 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at 101 Virginia Street)

-Grangeville, ID (Nov. 9 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at Grangeville Senior Center, 108 Truck Route)

-Lapwai, ID (Nov. 10 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Nez Perce National Historic Park, 39063 U.S. Highway 95)

-Moscow, ID (Nov. 10 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at University of Idaho, 709 S Deakin St)

-Coeur d’Alene, ID (Nov. 11 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at 525 East Front Avenue)

-Salmon, ID (Nov. 12 from 2:30 –4:30 p.m. at 204 Main St)

-Idaho Falls, ID (Nov. 14 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Alturas Academy, 3950 S. Yellowstone Hwy)

-Twin Falls, ID (Nov. 14 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 4th/5th and Shoshone Street East)

-Ogden, UT (Nov. 15 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Forest Service Regional Office, 324 25th Street)

-Grand Junction, CO (Nov.16 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Mesa Mall, 2424 Old US Hwy 6 & 50)

-Glenwood Springs, CO (Nov.17 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Centennial Park/9th Street)

-Denver, CO (Nov. 18 from 12:00- 2:00 p.m. at Bass Pro Shop, 7970 Northfield Blvd.)

-Kansas City, MO (Nov. 19 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Union Station Kansas City, 30 W Pershing Rd)

-Columbia, MO (Nov. 20 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Holiday Inn Executive Center, Columbia Mall, 2200 I-70 Drive S.W.)

-Paducah, KY (Nov. 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Noble Park, 2801 Park Ave)

-Paducah, KY (Nov. 22 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Noble Park, 2801 Park Ave)

-Nashville, TN (Nov. 22 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops Opry Mills, 323 Opry Mills Dr.)

-Knoxville, TN (Nov. 23)

-Blacksburg, VA (Nov. 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at 135 College Ave.)

-Joint Base Andrews, MD (Nov. 27)

After arriving in Washington, D.C. the tree lighting is expected to occur in early December. The exact date will be determined by the U. S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, and will be broadcast on C-SPAN.

For tour information, event details, news and updates, and to track the tree cross-country, you can visit www.capitolchristmastree.com or www.fs.usda.gov/payette.