DETROIT - Michigan has a public Christmas tree which rivals any in the country and it has now reached its final destination.
After growing for decades in a remote northern Michigan spot, this 66-foot Norway Spruce is the centerpiece of Michigan's equivalent of Rockefeller Center: Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.
This year's tree was privately grown in Manton, which is located just north of Cadillac in Wexford County.
It will soon be decked out with all kinds of ornaments and illuminated by more than 25,000 LED multi-colored lights at the 21st annual Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, November 22nd.
"To work with Dutchman Tree Farms, a fifth generation family-owned Michigan tree farm to help us scout these trees, it's an incredible partnership." David Cowan, Chief Public Spaces Officer of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, told MLive.
This year's tree is two-feet taller than the one which was on display last year. It's only about nine inches shorter than the one at Rockefeller Center and around 13 inches taller than Chicago's Grant Park tree.
"This one was donated from a private property in Manton. We find them all over the state, but are having to go further north as time goes on. These trees are 60 to 70 years old. This Norway Spruce, if it got much older, was going to come down on its own. It's all about sustainable farming and making sure we're planting, there are trees coming up behind them and we're doing this responsibly."
You can be a part of the annual Detroit Tree Lighting ceremony. It takes place on the 21st from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The free event will feature live music from Alex Sampson, Southern Avenue and Thornetta Davis, among others. There will also be live ice skating at the rink at Campus Martius during the ceremony headlined by Canadian national medalist, Elladj Balde.
WXYZ-TV Channel 7 will broadcast the ceremony live beginning at 7 p.m.
The rink at Campus Martius opens for the 2024-2025 season on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Meantime, Detroit's Winter Markets and Cadillac Lodge at Cadillac Square opened today on November 7. They will be open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.