Official Christmas Tree arrives at South Carolina State House
November 13, 2019
South Carolina’s Official Christmas Tree arrived at the South Carolina State House this morning following a brief press conference on the North Lawn. Kelly Barbrey, vice president of marketing and communications with Experience Columbia SC, thanked the many individuals and organizations that helped make this year’s tree possible. Experience Columbia SC is the presenting sponsor of the 53rd Annual Governor’s Carolighting.
This year’s tree is a 35-foot-tall sheared Concolor Fir, also known as a white fir, and comes from Pinetum Christmas Tree Farm in Swanton, Maryland.
The Columbia Garden Club, with support from the Garden Club of South Carolina, procured the state’s Christmas tree. This is the seventh year that they have worked with the Maryland farm. Pinetum owners Marshall and Cindy Stacy own a vacation house in the Lowcountry and consider South Carolina their second home.
The Christmas tree’s journey to the State House is a special ritual for Bruce Vollnogle, owner of TimberTech in Greer, SC. This is the 13th consecutive year that Vollnogle and his team donated their time and services to pick up the tree and bring it to Columbia.
Decorating such a large tree is no simple feat. Dominion Energy will string over 13,000 LED lights and the garden clubs will hang 900 ornaments in the coming days.
The tree will stay dark until the 53rd Annual Governor’s Carolighting on Sun., Nov. 24. Carolighting festivities begin at 6 p.m. on the South Carolina State House’s North Lawn and will be televised live on SCETV.
A longtime family tradition, the event brings South Carolinians together for caroling and the ceremonial tree lighting. Additionally, Morgan Nichols, the current Miss South Carolina, will emcee this year’s program.
The 53rd Annual Governor’s Carolighting is sponsored by Experience Columbia SC, the Columbia Garden Club and the Garden Club of South Carolina.
About Experience Columbia SC
Experience Columbia SC is the region’s destination marketing organization. We’re responsible for all marketing efforts intended to help more visitors discover all that makes Columbia the real Southern hot spot. Think of us as the biggest cheerleader for the heart of South Carolina. For more information, visit www.experiencecolumbiasc.com.
