With some help from heavy machinery and hoisted by crane, the huge 68-foot-Norway Spruce will take center stage for the annual tree lighting ceremony in Millennium Park!
"We had about 100 applications this year and so there were a lot of great candidates, some beautiful trees, but this one this one was special this year," DCASE Director of Event Productions Neal Heitz said.
The decided tree hails from suburban Glenview. It's owners are the Mason family.
"We're just really excited to share this with the neighborhood and with the city of Chicago," Jody Mason said.
Ryan Mason filled out the application about a month ago. A couple weeks later, they received the good news.
"We got a call about a week or so ago and we were just beyond thrilled and surprised that it was chosen, but we're so happy," Jody Mason said.
One of the largest trees in city history for the cherished Chicago tradition.
"It was hard to climb up because you can't get high enough to reach all the branches." Lucas Mason said.
It will next be decorated for the main event, which will altogether take a few weeks.
"We've got to get it into the base, cranes, flatbeds," Heitz said. "It's a whole operation on Wednesday. Once we get that in, we've got the city electricians putting in the electric panel so that we can begin to light this tree. It takes a couple weeks to get all of those lights on the tree."
Marking the official start of the holiday season...
"There's obviously been a lot going on right now and we're just hopeful that this brings a little bit of joy," Jody Mason said.
The annual tree lighting ceremony is happening on Friday, November 21st. The tree itself will be lit up and on full display through early January.