U.S. Capitol Christmas tree chosen from N.C. will make stop in New Bern
New Bern will greet a special visitor this weekend with the arrival of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at Union Point Park. The tree will make a pit stop in New Bern on its way from Pisgah National Forest to Washington, D.C.
A special event at Union Point Park is planned for the arrival of the ‘People’s Tree’ on Saturday, November 12 from 1-3 p.m. with activities for all ages. The event is free and open to the public.
At 1 p.m. the tree will be escorted into the park by the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, New Bern Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, National Forest Service, Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association, Smokey the Bear, Woodsy Owl, and last but hardly least, Santa Claus.
New Bern Fire-Rescue will suspend the American flag over the tree once it is in place.
Special guests at the event will include New Bern Mayor Jeffrey Odham and 6th Ward Alderman Robert Brinson for remarks and veteran honors.
Event attendees will be able to take photos with the tree, visit Santa Claus, decorate ornaments, and sign a banner with holiday messages that will travel with the tree to Washington, D.C.
Families can also listen to holiday music and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate courtesy of the Baker’s Rise food truck.
The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will remain under tight security during its visit to New Bern. Its next stop will be at the Lost Colony in Manteo.
North Carolina honored with 2022 Capitol Christmas Tree selection
Every year, a different national forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol building for the holiday season. This is the first time a U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has been selected from North Carolina in 24 years.
A 78-foot red spruce, affectionately named “Ruby,” was harvested from the Pisgah National Forest on November 2. After being maneuvered onto a flatbed trailer, the tree hit the road for a 14-day, nearly 1,000-mile expedition to Washington, D.C.
The tree will make several stops along the way to celebrate with North Carolina communities before arriving at its final destination on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on November 18. It will be decorated with handmade ornaments and tree skirts specially created by North Carolinians.
The red spruce that will adorn the West Lawn represents a tree species closely associated with southern Appalachia. A new effort by the U.S. Forest Service is ensuring that Ruby, the tree chosen for this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, will play a part in the species' future as well.
According to the Forest Service, as part of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, the agency is partnering with the National Forest Foundation to raise funds for a new state-of-the-art nursery that will grow red spruce seedlings for reforestation efforts.
Foresters collected cones from Ruby containing seeds for the nursery that will contribute to the next generation of red spruce trees growing across the southern Appalachian region.
For news, events, and tour information for the tree, visit www.uscapitolchristmastree.com. For more information about New Bern’s event, visit www.newbernnc.gov or the New Bern Parks and Recreation Facebook page.
Reporter Todd Wetherington can be reached by email at wwetherington@gannett.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Capitol Christmas tree chosen from N.C. coming to New Bern Saturday
