U.S. Capital Christmas Tree Festivities Schedualed For November 9 in Durango, Colorado

Durango hosts a celebration of Colorado’s gift to the nation

Durango, CO – On November 9 the U.S. Forest Service, with help from its nonprofit partner, Choose Outdoors, will be bringing the US Capitol Christmas Tree to Durango, Colorado. Come celebrate this annual national holiday tradition!

On November 2, the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested in the White River National Forest, near Meeker, CO. The 70+ foot tall tree will then be wrapped and transported to Washington, D.C. on a custom-decorated Mack Pinnacle model truck, which will be driven by former U.S. Senator, Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
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The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will arrive by police escort and will be on display on Thursday, November 9 between 5:00 and 7:00 pm at 8th and Main Avenue in historic downtown Durango. This stop will be one of many along the tree’s 23-day tour across Colorado and the country on its way to the nation’s capital. All festivities with the tree are open to the public and free for all to enjoy.

Special events and opportunities to view the tree are being planned in every stop across the country. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be traveling with the Tree so be sure to have the little ones bring their lists to show Santa.

The free festivities in Durango at 8th St. and Main Avenue will begin with the Durango Choral Society singing “America the Beautiful,” the VFW Veterans presentation of colors, and Durango dignitaries accepting a live Englemann Spruce tree from the White River National Forest on behalf of the 2012 Capitol Christmas Tree team.

The celebration will continue with free events for the entire family including:

The San Juan Mountains Association and San Juan National Forest tent with free Smokey Bear items, conifer seedlings donated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and opportunities for children to decorate holiday pine cones. Smokey Bear will also be walking the crowd with a uniformed ranger.
Durango Mountain Resort, Trails 2000 and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge will serve hot chocolate as you tour the tree display.

The Durango Arts Center will offer ornament making crafts in the Durango Welcome Center.
New to the event this year is a national call for artists. Forty-eight artists, 29 from Colorado, will have work in the touring exhibit. Sorrel Sky Gallery will provide a reception for the art exhibit as well as a book signing and multimedia reading by “The Mighty Tree” author Chris Vandeleur.

Steamworks Brewing Co will tap its seasonal brew, Spruce Goose Ale, to celebrate the arrival of the Christmas tree in Durango.

“We are honored this year’s Capitol Christmas Tree will make a stop in Durango,” said Doug Lyon, Mayor of Durango. “This is a unique and festive opportunity for our community to be part of a gift to the nation. We are proud to have the Colorado tree transported by our very-own, former U.S. Senator, Ben Nighthorse Campbell.”

“We’re working with city officials and volunteers across the country to make the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tour an unforgettable experience of both giving back and celebrating the holiday season,” said Bruce Ward, founder of Choose Outdoors.

Upon arrival in Washington, D.C., the tree will be placed on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol and decorated with more than 5,000 ornaments handmade by Colorado children and Native American Indian Tribes depicting the tree’s theme, “Celebrating the Great Outdoors.” In early December, a tree lighting ceremony will take place and will be available for public viewing throughout the holiday season.

As the tree travels the country, its entourage will carry a message about sustainable forestry, as well as invite people to assist with raising funds for the Forest Restoration Challenge. This challenge was set up to help areas impacted by the massive wildfires which devastated areas near Colorado Springs and Fort Collins in the spring of 2012. Those interested in donating can text any dollar amount to 303-502-5858 (donors will be asked for some basic information to complete the donation). In addition, Toys for Tots will be accepting donations of toys, and local organizers will be gathering contributions of coats and nonperishable foods.

Costs associated with the tree’s transportation and tour events are made possible by contributions by individuals, corporations and local communities. Major sponsors include the Colorado Tourism Office, Mack Trucks and The National Association of Convenience Stores.

To track the tree’s route, visit www.CapitolChristmasTree2012.com or you can also follow the tree on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CapitolChristmasTree2012), Twitter (www.twitter.com/CapitolTree2012) and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/capitoltree2012)

About Choose Outdoors:
Choose Outdoors is a coalition for outdoor recreation comprised of people and organizations who are passionate about outdoor recreation, support public lands, waters, and the agencies charged with their care. www.chooseoutdoors.org

About the White River National Forest:
The 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is located in west/central Colorado. Providing a vast array of outdoor recreation experiences, the White River hosts more than 9 million visitors per year and is the number one forest for recreation in the country. In addition to world-class recreation and abundant wildlife populations, the White River supports activities such as grazing, timber harvest, mining, and oil and gas development that are crucial to the economies of western Colorado. www.fs.usda.gov/whiteriver