# U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

> Event for families in the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria area (DC / VA / MD / WV). Times are Eastern Time.

- When: Nov 20 – Jan 1 · 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Where: West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, First St SE, Washington, DC 20004
- Ages: All ages (family-friendly, open accessible Capitol grounds)
- Price: Free admission (no tickets or reservations required; open public lawn).
- Organizer: Architect of the Capitol & U.S. Forest Service
- Official page: https://www.aoc.gov/about-us/news-notices/capitol-christmas-tree
- Last checked: Sat, Nov 7

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/u-s-capitol-christmas-tree--listing-aac34af70de7aa6c371bcc32

## About

Known affectionately as 'The People's Tree,' the 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a majestic 76-foot Engelmann spruce journeying nearly 3,000 miles from Idaho's Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests to take its post on the West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Adorned with thousands of handcrafted, eco-friendly ornaments made by Idaho schoolchildren and community members, the conifer frames one of the most iconic postcard-perfect holiday backdrops in America with the illuminated Capitol dome glowing behind it.

Visiting the Capitol Christmas tree is completely free and uncrowded compared to commercial light shows. The expansive lawn and surrounding paved plazas offer plenty of space for toddlers to stretch their legs and for families pushing double strollers. Evening visits are magical, as the thousands of twinkling multicolored lights reflect against the Capitol's neoclassical marble facade from dusk until 11:00 PM nightly. Combine your visit with a stop at the nearby U.S. Botanic Garden for a full evening of festive holiday sights.

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