EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. (AP) — New York City's Rockefeller Center is set to unveil a stunning 75-foot-tall Norway spruce this holiday season, as the tree makes its way south from East Greenbush, a suburb of Albany, where it was recently felled.
The monumental tree, weighing 11 tons, was loaded onto a long 100-foot trailer and drew an enthusiastic crowd during its departure. It will reach the iconic 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Saturday, ready to take its place in front of the renowned Art Deco skyscraper and its famous ice skating rink.
The spruce will be dressed up with over 50,000 multicolored, energy-efficient LED lights and topped with a dazzling Swarovski star weighing 900 pounds. The tree will be illuminated in a live broadcast ceremony on December 3, hosted by country music star Reba McEntire. The festive display will remain until mid-January, after which the tree will be milled into lumber, supporting Habitat for Humanity's initiatives.
This year's tree was generously donated by Judy Russ and her family, who shared that it has been a part of their family since the 1920s when it was planted by her husband's great-grandparents. “For this to now become the center of New York City Christmas is incredible,” she noted in a statement.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition began in 1931, originally intending to uplift spirits during the Great Depression, and has grown into a hallmark of holiday celebrations in the city. The first tree, significantly smaller at 20 feet, set the stage for what has become a cherished annual event since the first formal lighting ceremony in 1933.
