Arizona’s tallest Christmas tree set to arrive in north Phoenix on Thursday

PHOENIX – The fresh-cut Christmas tree touted annually as the tallest in Arizona was scheduled to arrive in north Phoenix on Thursday morning.

A flatbed truck carrying the 80-foot-high, 22-foot-wide tree was expected to roll into the Outlets at Anthem, near Interstate 17 and Anthem Way, at 6:30 a.m.

As a comparison, the famed Rockefeller Center tree in New York City was 75 feet tall last year.

A crane will lift the Anthem tree, which was harvested near the California/Oregon border, into place at 7:45 a.m.

Santa Claus and his elves will be on hand for the arrival, as will school-age carolers from the Musical Theater of Anthem.

Once the giant is upright, a team of workers will spend the coming weeks adorning it with 5,000 ornaments, 1.5 miles of LED light strands (about 10,000 bulbs) and a 3-foot copper star on top.

The official tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 17 from 5-7 p.m., with music from AJ Mitchell and the All-American Boys Chorus from Los Angeles.

The Anthem Christmas tree is a tradition entering its 17th year.

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