LANSING, Mich. — Halloween just passed, and Christmas is…well, not right around the corner, but off in the near future. To ring in the season, the 2021 state Christmas tree has completed its long journey from up north and arrived at its new home in Lansing.
Standing 63-feet-tall, the blue spruce tree was meant for the spotlight. Throughout the next three weeks, the Lansing Board of Water & Light will trim and decorate the tree for the Silver Bells in the City event on Nov. 19.
The stately tree was donated by Carla Fletcher and her family and came all the way from Gogebic County in the Upper Peninsula.
"We came to the cabin for the weekend and saw a note posted that said the state of Michigan was interested in a tree growing close to the cabin," Fletcher said when the tree was selected. "I thought it was a joke at first but decided to call the number. It's amazing that our tree will travel to Lansing for the holidays."
Now that the tree is in Lansing, the Michigan Capitol Commission, along with the Lansing Board of Water and Light, will develop the lighting scheme and decorate the tree.
The entire journey culminates with a tree lighting ceremony Friday, Nov. 19, at the 37th Annual Silver Bells in the City celebration. The lights will turn on around 7:45 p.m.
Silver Bells includes an electric light parade with floats and marching bands followed by a community sing-along.
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