71st Annual Capitol
Lighting Ceremony Tomorrow
***
Capitol Christmas Tree Trimmed
with Ornaments Representing the State’s 75 Counties
LITTLE ROCK, AR—The last of the lights are strung,
colorful garlands are draped, and the county ornaments are hung on the
boughs of the Capitol Christmas tree—just in time for the 71st
Annual Capitol Lighting Ceremony tomorrow, Saturday, December 5.
On Tuesday morning, a 20-foot Leyland Cypress from Tom’s Christmas Tree
Farm in St. Francis County arrived at the steps of the State Capitol.
The tree has since been trimmed with hand-painted globe ornaments each
depicting a unique scene from the state’s 75 counties.
Secretary of State Charlie Daniels is hosting tomorrow’s lighting
ceremony, which kicks off a month of festivities at the State Capitol
designed to highlight the spirit of the season. The ceremony will take
place on the front steps of the Capitol around 5:30 p.m. immediately
following Little Rock’s Big Jingle Jubilee Downtown Holiday Parade.
Festivities on the Capitol grounds begin at 4:00 pm with children’s crafts
and refreshments. At the ceremony, Secretary Daniels, with the help of
Easter Seals representatives, will throw the switch on 300,000 white lights
outlining the Capitol building and dome. The evening will conclude
with a spectacular fireworks display.
Afterward, visitors can enter a wonderland of wintry decorations on the
first and second floors of the Capitol and enjoy a performance by the Top of
the Rock Chorus. As always, Santa Claus will be on hand to visit with
children of all ages.
Deck the Marble Halls
The Capitol building will hold special holiday hours from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00
p.m. on weekdays, and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends to allow visitors
extra time to take in the sights and sounds of the season.
Visitors will find an assortment of holiday backdrops for family
photographs, including a frosty bridge in the first floor rotunda and
ribbon-lined marble staircases.
The 2009 State Capitol ornament features the Rotunda Christmas Tree flanked
by two of the red and gold “Joy” banners which decorate the second floor
rotunda each holiday season. Replicating in fine detail the most
distinctive and beautiful design elements of the Arkansas State Capitol, the
series of collectible ornaments are available for purchase online and in the
Capitol Gift Shop.
Little Bricks, Big Vision
The State Capitol’s 2009 holiday exhibit features four intricate tableaux
painstakingly assembled with Lego® construction toys by the Thomas Mears
family of Bryant. These little bricks have entertained and inspired
the imaginations of children since becoming commercially-available in the
1930s. The scenes on display include a cityscape, a space port and a
pirate port, as well as a fantasyland rendered in Duplo®, the larger
building blocks designed for younger construction engineers. Little
Bricks, Big Vision will be on view in the Capitol’s first floor
galleries from December 5 through January 2.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance
Secretary Daniels will host the Annual Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance on
Monday, December 7 at 3:00 pm in the second floor rotunda of the
Capitol. The public is invited to attend this special ceremony
commemorating those who have served our country in times of war and
reminding Arkansans to hope for peace. Blue lights above the bronze
doors of the Capitol spell out “Peace” in tribute to our veterans.
Sounds of the Season
More than 130 school choirs and dance troupes will perform in the Capitol
rotunda from December 7 through December 18 on weekdays from 9:00 am-3:00 pm.
For additional details on scheduled performances and other holiday events at
the State Capitol, visit the Secretary of State’s holiday webpage at
www.sos.arkansas.gov/holidays2009.
