JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. The 2018 Missouri Governor's Mansion Christmas trees will arrive Monday, and one will be placed on the lawn between 7-8 a.m.
During that time, a portion of Madison Street will be closed.
The tree for the Mansion lawn is a 40-foot Norway spruce donated by Mike and Linda Knudson of Lebanon. It was planted 25 years ago to mark the birth of their son and had grown too large for the space. There will also be six trees throughout the inside of the Mansion, and all of them are coming from Pea Ridge Farm in Hermann.
A new addition to this year's festivities is a working wooden train wrapping around the 40-foot Norway spruce. A live nativity scene performed by Concord Baptist Church will also be on site.
The annual lighting of the tree will take place 6 p.m. Friday. Candlelight tours of the mansion will immediately follow. Doors will be open until 9 p.m. and again on Saturday from noon-3 p.m. Each day student choirs and bands throughout Missouri will provide music during the tours.
The Sparta High School band will perform outside on the front steps during Friday's lighting ceremony (6-6:20 p.m.). Other choirs will be performing inside the Mansion from 6:20 p.m.to 8:25 p.m. On Saturday, choirs will perform inside the Mansion beginning at noon to 1:25 p.m.
During the tours, visitors will be able to view the festive decorations throughout the ground floor of the People's Mansion. Friends of the Governor's Mansion docents will be available to answer questions about the historic house.
The Missouri Governor's Mansion is at 100 Madison Street. For the candlelight tours, visitors will enter the Mansion through the Madison Street gate.