SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Old Sacramento Waterfront is getting decked-out for the holidays, and it all started with Thursday morning’s arrival of the holiday tree.
The Downtown Sacramento Partnership enlisted Carlton Christmas Trees, based in Burney, California, to find just the right tree for the Old Sacramento Waterfront.
This year’s 60-foot tapered white fir was found above the snowline in Siskiyou County near Mount Shasta.
It’s a tree that’ll serve as the centerpiece of holiday celebrations in the Old Sacramento Waterfront area through the new year.
“We have to go out into the woods, cut the trees to bring them back to the yard. And they dress it all up,” explained Douglas MacKenzie of Carlton Christmas Trees. “Then we load it on the truck to bring it here to unload it.”
Carlton Christmas Trees treated the tree with a patented moisture-seal process that will keep it looking fresh through the holiday season.
Once workers hoisted the massive tree into place, they secured it — deep in a six-foot hole — dug specifically in the Old Sacramento area to serve as a holiday tree stand.
Over the coming weeks, Stage 9 Exhibits will decorate the tree with 29,000 lights, 550 icicles, and 400 strobes and other specialty lighting.
The tree is part of the larger, Theatre of Lights experience Stage 9 Exhibits puts on with Downtown Sacramento Partnership each year — all for the enjoyment of visitors and families flocking to Old Sacramento Waterfront for holiday festivities.
The tree will be lit on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 6 p.m. during an official lighting ceremony.
“It’s really special for us, our team, to bring this to the Sacramento region every year,” said Troy Carlson, owner and founder of Stage 9 Exhibits. “I know for many people, it’s been part of their family tradition to come down for Theatre of Lights.”
Theatre of Lights shows take place on several evenings in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The 20-minute performances are described as a blend of the classic holiday story and a retelling of Sacramento history.
For more information and Theatre of Lights show times, visit here.
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