NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a 74-foot-tall Norway spruce, was cut down Thursday morning in Massachusetts.
The iconic tree is set to arrive in New York City on Saturday, where it will be installed at Rockefeller Center.
Around 1,300 people gathered on a crisp morning in West Stockbridge to witness the historic cutting of the tree.
This year’s tree, weighing approximately 11 tons and spanning 43 feet in diameter, was donated by the Albert family, who planted it 67 years ago on their property. It is the first Rockefeller Center tree sourced from Massachusetts since 1959.
For over three decades, Erik Pauze has been responsible for selecting the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, and this year’s tree comes from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
The tree was carefully hoisted onto a 115-foot-long flatbed trailer by crane on Thursday morning for its 145-mile journey to Manhattan. Upon arrival, it will be adorned with 50,000 lights before its official lighting ceremony on Dec. 4.
The tree will remain on display until mid-January.
Residents of the small New England town have been stopping by in recent days to take photos with the now-famous spruce, which has become a local point of pride.