The 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree begins its journey

From Alaska to Washington, D.C., the 2024 Christmas Tree kicks off its highly anticipated annual tour.

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has begun its traditional annual journey. This year, Lynden Companies, one of Alaska’s leading carriers, is once again tasked with transporting the tree from the forests of Alaska to Washington, D.C., where it will be lit in a ceremony, as tradition dictates. Lynden Companies will perform this feat for the second time in a decade, having previously undertaken the same task in 2015.

The 2024 Christmas Tree begins its journey in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, where it was harvested, and will be transported to the west lawn of the Capitol. On October 26 the harvest ceremony took place in Wrangell, Alaska, followed by a tour within the state, which included stops in places such as Ketchikan on October 30. The tree will then be loaded onto an Alaska Marine Lines barge bound for Seattle, from where its 6,000-kilometer journey across the U.S. will begin, making stops at parks, schools, and monuments along the way.

2024 Christmas Tree to be transported by a Kenworth T680

This year, the transportation will be handled by a Kenworth T680, featuring a new graphic wrap that highlights the holiday season. The Kenworth T680 is equipped with real-time GPS tracking thanks to TruckTech+ technology, as well as a Paccar MX-13 engine with 455 horsepower, advanced driver comforts, and safety systems such as digital mirrors and adaptive cruise control. Everything needed for a safe and comfortable journey for the drivers.

The honor of driving the truck this year falls to Lynden veterans Fred Austin and John Schank, who have worked together at the company since 1975. Schank, a multiple-time “Driver of the Year” award recipient, has an impressive record of more than 10 million accident-free miles in Alaska, including the challenging routes of the Dalton Highway.

The tree’s journey will be documented in real-time, and interested parties will be able to follow its progress online via the official Kenworth website. This initiative celebrates both tradition and the skill of the drivers, who, year after year, ensure that this symbol of the holiday season arrives safely and on time at the Capitol, highlighting the importance of freight transportation, especially during the holiday season.

2024 Christmas Tree Tour Dates

The schedule for the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour includes the following dates:

October 30: Alaska Marine Highway Terminal, Ketchikan, Alaska
November 6: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Renton, Washington
November 8: Baker County Fairgrounds & Event Center, Baker City, Oregon
November 9: Veterans Day Parade, Pocatello, Idaho
November 9: Wheeler Historic Farm, Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Murray, Utah
November 10: Cabela’s, Grand Junction, Colorado
November 11: The Ranch Events Complex, Loveland, Colorado
November 13: Gene Leahy Mall at The Landing at The RiverFront, Omaha, Nebraska
November 16: Parkview Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana
November 17: Center of Science and Industry, Columbus, Ohio
November 19: The Maryland Theatre, Hagerstown, Maryland
November 21: Andrews Theatre, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (base access only)
November 22: Delivery at the West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.

Once the tour is complete, the tree lighting ceremony will take place in early December, organized by the Architect of the Capitol in collaboration with the Speaker of the House of Representatives.