BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Now that the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has been cut down at the Chippewa National Forest, Bemidji and several other area communities are planning festivities as the tree makes its way through their communities.
The tree was placed on a specially designed semi-trailer Wednesday at the forest and next will head to Bemidji, where it will call Bemidji State University home for the next days. Once at BSU, it will be officially wrapped for its roughly three-week cross country tour to Washington. The wrapping process will take about four to six hours, officials said.
Itasca State Park
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Itasca State Park will be next up for the tree on Sunday, before it makes its way back to Bemidji for several events downtown. At Itasca, the tree will stop at the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers Show Grounds at the north entrance to the park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., officials said in a release. To start the event, the tree will receive a drink of water via a horse-drawn wagon courtesy of the Go and Whoa Harness Club of Bemidji. The water will be transported from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca State Park to the show grounds, where visitors can view the tree, photograph it and sign a banner. The park will feature a variety of activities, including horse-drawn wagon rides, tours of the Pioneer Farmers village buildings, a free-will offering lunch, music, ornament making, face painting, two-man log sawing and a visit by "Lars the Logger" from 1:15 to 2 p.m.
Bemidji
Once back in Bemidji, several events will mark the Capitol Christmas Tree tour:
Noon. Northwoods lunch: wild rice soup and biscuits at Headwaters Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Noon - 4 p.m. Senior Activity Center open to public for shopping, cider, coffee and cookies.
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Concert: traditional music from the Northwoods. Brian Miller and Randy Gosa at Headwaters Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
1:30 - 4 p.m. Music performances and appearances at the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues from the First City Bell Ringers, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Bemidji Axeman, Paul Bunyan, Smokey Bear, Bemidji Chorale, Frosty the snowman.
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1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Bonfire at the Tourist Information Center: hot cocoa and s'mores for sale hosted by the Boys Scouts of America.
1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Booths and exhibits and Tourist Information Center from Choose Outdoors, Minnesota DNR, Chippewa National Forest, Bemidji Axeman, Minnesota Christmas Tree Growers Association and more.
2 - 3 p.m. U.S. Capitol Christmas tree escort.
2 - 4 p.m. Make and decorate wooden Christmas tree ornaments at Senior Activity Center. Hosted by Bemidji Girl Scouts.
3:30 p.m. Tree sendoff with Mayor Rita Albrecht at Paul and Babe.
4 - 7 p.m. Walleye and steak dinner at American Legion.
Blackduck and beyond
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The tree next will go to Walker and the Leech Lake tribal offices in Cass Lake on Monday and will be in Blackduck on Tuesday morning. In all, there will be more than 30 stops for the tree before it arrives at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Nov. 20.
While in Blackduck, several events will take place beginning at 7 a.m. Nov. 4 with a pancake and sausage breakfast at the Blackduck Senior Center for a free-will offering. Following the meal, an event on the east side of the Blackduck School on First Street, will begin with Mayor Daryl Lundberg and Blackduck District Ranger Brian Tritle speaking at 8:40 a.m.
The city and the Forest Service will exchange gifts following their speeches. The city is providing a wooden plaque to the Forest Service for a tree that will be displayed in town.
Mark Friesen, leader of the Blackduck Future Farmers of America, will also speak regarding the involvement of the FFA and the tree-cutting ceremony.
Students from Blackduck Elementary and High School will be present at the event to sign the tree and meet Smokey the Bear. The high school band will also play holiday music throughout the morning. Community members will also be welcome to sign the tree.
The tree will leave Blackduck by 10 a.m. and be escorted out of town by the Blackduck Fire and Police Departments.
