Downtown Detroit welcomes 65-foot Christmas tree – the city's biggest ever

Downtown Detroit (WWJ) -- For Christmas this year, Downtown Detroit is taking the phrase “go big or go home” quite literally.

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The city’s annual Christmas tree, which arrived Thursday, will be the tallest the city has ever had, at a whopping 65 feet tall. Last year’s Christmas tree, also a Norway spruce, stood 55 feet tall.

The Norway spruce arrives to the streets of Downtown Detroit
The Norway spruce arrives to the streets of Downtown Detroit Photo credit WWJ's Jon Hewett
The Norway spruce being lifted by crane
The Norway spruce being lifted by crane Photo credit WWJ's Jon Hewett
The Norway spruce lifted above Campus Martius ice rink
The Norway spruce lifted above Campus Martius ice rink Photo credit WWJ's Jon Hewett

The Norway spruce was lifted by crane and positioned Thursday afternoon at Campus Martius Park.

The tree, from the Cadillac area in Northern Michigan, is sponsored by the DTE foundation.

Now the decorating begins, as the tree will be decked out with about 20,000 LED lights.

The 18th annual Detroit Tree Lighting ceremony with the Downtown Detroit Partnership is set for Nov. 19, with performances by Cam Anthony, the winner of NBC's "The Voice," Detroit's own Thornetta Davis, the Detroit Concert Choir and more.

Officials say there will be more than a million holiday lights strung across downtown Detroit this holiday season, from the Nov. 19 ceremony until Jan. 10.

Featured Image Photo Credit: WWJ's Jon Hewett