Famous “30 Rock” tree from Massachusetts already drawing visitors
NEW YORK (Gray Media) - For decades, millions have descended on New York City around the holidays to take in the sights. No spectacle is more legendary than 30 Rockefeller Plaza, with its ice-skating rink and big Christmas tree.
For the first time in 65 years the iconic tree at 30 Rock came from the woods of Western Massachusetts in West Stockbridge. The Bay State gifted a green monster to New York that is still being set up for the festive season, but already drawing eyeballs.
“It’s great to have traditions and the tree is beautiful,” said Jennifer Boykin from Mobile, AL on a visit with her daughter.
At 70 years old, 74 feet tall, and 11 tons, the massive tree is truly a behemoth in the Big Apple.
“It’s pretty awesome,” said Boykin.
The tree arrived earlier this month from the southern Berkshires. When finished, it will be adorned with over 50,000 lights, measuring out to five miles of wire. And at the top there will be a 900-pound star. The tree is always one of New York’s biggest and brightest holiday attractions, even without the decorations.
“It’s the center of the universe for Christmas to me,” said Benjamin Cass from Benton, NH. “You know, growing up, I’ve been here before. Then you have it on TV, the lighting of the Christmas tree and the music. I can when I was 19 years old, I couldn’t get my friends to come up here, but I came up by myself to ice skate on the ice here.”
“I’ve seen it before, but I am from Sweden and I moved here, like over 20 years ago,” said Annika Kvist, who also lives in Benton. “So it’s still magical because when you’re there, it’s like that cool place that you see and you hear about. And so it never gets old.”
“To have the stability - I mean, these buildings are iconic around here, too. If you look at them, there’s a lot of symbolism that, you know, it’s like, you know, the Roman Empire, again, is here and strong and that’s good for everybody,” said Cass.
The annual lighting ceremony will take place on December 4 and from then until mid-January the tree will be lit daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. After that, as is tradition, the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and turned into lumber to build houses.
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