Santa Claus, Lt. Gov. Heck to attend WA state tree-lighting ceremony at Capitol on Friday

Simone Carter
·1 min read

The 36th annual Washington state tree-lighting ceremony is planned for 6 p.m. Friday with a pair of very special guests: Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Lt. Gov. Denny Heck will join the Clauses in the Capitol Rotunda, as will the Washington Middle School Bulldog Choir, according to the hosts, the Association of Washington Business. Admission is free to the “Holiday Kids’ Tree Lighting Ceremony.”

The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus on Thursday posted a photo of the display to Facebook, writing: “The Christmas Tree at our State Capitol is up!”

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The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) chose the holiday trees from a farm near the town of Rainier, noted spokesperson Adam Holdorf. The three noble firs measure 17 to 21 feet tall.

Some 1,600 lights adorn the seasonal display, Holdorf said. This year’s theme? “Winter Wonderland.”

DES staff look forward to this capstone after a year’s worth of custody and care for the Capitol Campus, he added.

“This is everyone in Washington’s place to make decisions and engage in our democracy,” Holdorf said. “And to have a focal point in the middle that’s decorative at the end of the year is really significant for our agency.”

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