White House Christmas Tree to Be Harvested in Avery County

Larry Smith of Mountain Top Fraser Fir in Newland will harvest the White House Christmas Tree at 10:00 am on Wednesday, Nov. 14. The tree will be displayed in the Blue Room, one of the three state parlors on the first floor in the White House.

Immediately following the cutting, the tree will be transported through Newland to the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center, where a press conference will be held, followed by the loading of the tree and a reception with light snacks. On Nov. 19, Smith will present the tree to First Lady Melania Trump.

Since 1966, members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room. Each year NCTA hosts a national tree contest at which growers, industry experts and consumers vote to select the Real Christmas Tree grower who will provide the official White House Christmas Tree. To qualify for the national contest, growers must first win their state or regional competitions, so being named National Grand Champion is quite an achievement. 2018 marks the 53rd year a member from the National Christmas Tree Association has presented the official White House Christmas Tree.

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For more information, contact Jennifer Greene at 828-964-9153 or [email protected].