LANSING, MI (WTVB) – A 60-foot spruce from Iron Mountain has been selected as Michigan’s official 2026 state Christmas tree, according to an announcement from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB).
Donated by the Larry Riccio family, who noted that the tree had finally outgrown their property since they purchased their home in 1986, the spruce marks the 26th tree chosen from the Upper Peninsula since the tradition began in 1987.
The tree is scheduled to be harvested on Thursday, Nov. 5, and will arrive on the Capitol lawn in downtown Lansing on Saturday, Nov. 7, to stand at the intersection of Capitol and East Michigan avenues for the holiday season.
The transport and setup will be a collaborative effort involving the Michigan Association of Timbermen, the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, local Boy Scout troops, and the HI-Ball Company of Lansing, which is providing the crane to hoist the tree into place.
Once secured, the City of Lansing’s forestry team will decorate the spruce based on designs by the Michigan Capitol Commission and the Lansing Board of Water & Light.
The holiday preparations will culminate on Friday, Nov. 20, when dignitaries officially switch on the thousands of lights at approximately 7:30 p.m. during the 42nd Annual Silver Bells in the City celebration.
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