MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The City of Morgantown wants residents to join them to celebrate the arrival of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
The first tree to be harvested from the Mountain State in close to a half century will stop in Morgantown on Saturday, November 11, on its way to Washington, D.C. The 63-foot Norway spruce tree will be paraded down High Street as part of a send-off celebration that will be hosted at the Monongalia County Courthouse Square starting at 2:30 p.m.
“Every year, a different national forest provides a tree for the West Lawn at the U.S. Capitol for the holiday season,” said Main Street Morgantown Executive Director Amy Loomis on the selection of the tree. “And for the first time since 1976, a 63-foot Norway spruce tree has been chosen from the Monongahela National Forest,” she said.
Attendees will be able to see the tree as it’s displayed on the extra-long trailer that will transport the historic tree to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. At Monongalia County Courthouse Square, the celebration will include live local music and opportunities to take pictures of the tree, as well as holiday-themed photos that can have a background with locally grown Christmas trees. Santa Claus is also expected to make an appearance to greet families before he begins his Christmas flight.
“You’ll be able to have photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs. Claus, the WVU Mountaineer, and beautiful, decorative trees from the Quarter Pine Tree Farm,” said Loomis on what attendees can do at the celebration. “We’ll have music from the
MHS (Morgantown High School) Jazz Ensemble and the Pep Band,” she said.
The celebration of the Capitol Christmas Tree will include several local partners who will bring their own flare to the holiday festivities. The free event will also include refreshments provided by WVU and local businesses who will park around High Street with Capitol Christmas Tree merchandise and locally made holiday ornaments available for purchase. Free activities will also be hosted around the Monongalia County Courthouse Square until 4:30 p.m.
“Flying West Virginia cookies from WVU, treat trucks, and lots of activities and takeaway crafts for kids and families,” said Loomis.
The Capitol Christmas Tree will arrive in Morgantown on Friday, where it will make a stop at the 84 Lumber location on Earl L. Core Road in Sabraton before traveling to downtown Morgantown. A portion of High Street will be closed on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. and parking will be free around downtown Morgantown. When the extra-long trailer that is hauling the historic tree parks on High Street, the tree will be wrapped and laid down on the trailer while attendees can take pictures and county 4-H youth and volunteers present some of the over 5,000 tree ornaments that will be on display when the tree is placed at the Capitol.
“It will stay sideways and in beautiful wrapping,” Loomis tells attendees before they decide to see the tree firsthand. “And if anyone wants to take pictures with that tree or with the standing trees from the tree farm, they’ll be all decorated, and that’ll be a beautiful photo op.”
The Morgantown Capitol Christmas Tree Celebration is hosted in partnership with the Monongalia County Commission, the City of Morgantown, Main Street Morgantown, and WVU.