LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) has selected the official 2026 state Christmas tree—a 60-foot spruce from Iron Mountain, donated by the Larry Riccio family. The spruce will arrive in Downtown Lansing on November 7 to grace the Capitol lawn for the holiday season.
“It is pretty cool to be able to say that your tree is the state Christmas tree,” Riccio said. “When we first bought our house in 1986, the tree was quite large but now it has outgrown the property. Our family is excited and honored to donate this year’s tree.”
This is the second tree from Iron Mountain, and the 26th from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, since an official tree began being placed at the Capitol each holiday season in 1987.
The tree will be harvested on November 5 and transported to the Capitol with help from the Michigan Association of Timbermen, the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, and DTMB’s Christmas tree crew. Once at the Capitol, local Boy Scout troops will continue the tradition of untying the tree. The HI-Ball Company of Lansing will provide a crane and crew to hoist the spruce into place near the intersection of Capitol and East Michigan avenues.
Once in place, the City of Lansing’s forestry team will prepare the tree for the lighting scheme and decorations developed by the Michigan Capitol Commission and the Lansing Board of Water & Light. The journey will culminate with a tree-lighting ceremony Friday, November 20, at the 42nd Annual Silver Bells in the City celebration. Rain or shine, dignitaries will flip the switch that turns on thousands of twinkling lights at approximately 7:30 p.m.
