NORTHVALE, N.J.—A Northvale homeowner provided a 65-foot-tall, 55-year-old Norway Spruce as part of the 96th annual New York Stock Exchange Christmas Tree lighting ceremonies outside the famous landmark building on Wall Street.
The holiday tree lighting takes place Dec. 5 at 5 p.m.
The tree was cut down Nov. 20 by O’Sullivan Tree Care & Recycling, West Nyack, and put on an 18-wheel flatbed truck for transportation to New York City.
Although preferring to remain anonymous, the Northvale homeowner continues a nearly century-old holiday tradition at the stock exchange, a ceremony that grows bigger and more popular every year.
Tree company officials said it took a crew of 10 about three days to prepare the tree for transport and about two days to erect the tree and decorate it with 20,000 lights and a star.
The family who donated the tree told tree company officials that the tree was planted in 1964 and was nicknamed “Chester” by the family.
The family said they were “thrilled” the tree will be adorned with lights and help in enjoyment of the 2019 holidays.
‘A lot of excitement’
“The event is a ‘big deal’ and something that I am going to try to attend. From a Northvale perspective, this has been a very unique event that has generated a fair amount of excitement,” emailed Northvale Mayor Patrick Marana Nov. 20.
“The New York Stock Exchange annual tree lighting seems to be quite the shindig,” he added.
Beautification Committee founder Richard Scaglione, who witnessed the tree-cutting and alerted the mayor, said the tree-cutting and donation was “a first-time event” for Northvale.
The tree lighting ceremony and festivities take place Thursday, Dec. 5 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. outside 11 Wall Street in New York City. Five-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist Dionne Warwick will sing “Jingle Bells” from a new Christmas album, and close the event with her 1966 hit, “What the World Needs Now.”
Warwick released “Dionne Warwick & The Voices of Christmas” in October. It features duets with the Oak Ridge Boys, Michael McDonald, Dianne Reeves, Boys II Men’s Wayna Morris, sister duo Chloe X Halle, Aloe Blacc and Johnny Mathis.
Other performances at the event include Radio City Rockettes, music from the Broadway shows “Phantom of the Opera” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” Quincy Jones protege Shelea, bluegrass singer/songwriter Rhonda Vincent, West Point Cadet Gospel Choir, Harlem Globe Trotters, and more.
Photo ops with Macy’s Santa Claus, a Budweiser Clydesdale, and Six Flags Holiday in the Park characters will be featured at the holiday event.
Tree illumination occurs at 5:30 p.m. and festivities will livestream on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Chef Jose Andres will preside over the illumination of the Christmas tree.
More information on NYSE’s tree lighting ceremony can be found here.