For the first time in the 55-year history of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, a Nevada tree will take the national spotlight, and that moment arrives tonight.
“Silver Belle,” a 53-foot red fir harvested in the Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, will be lit during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, December 2, at 5 p.m. ET. The event will feature remarks from Speaker Mike Johnson, the Nevada Congressional Delegation, and Rep. Mark Amodei, who helped bring the project full circle for the Silver State. It’s a proud moment for the largest national forest in the lower 48, and a milestone for Nevada communities from Fallon to Jarbidge who followed Silver Belle’s 3,700-mile journey with the kind of attention usually reserved for state champions or wandering celebrity burros.
Silver Belle was harvested near Mount Rose and prepared for travel using an old-school trick: toilet bowl wax. The wax sealed the trunk to a water bladder that kept the tree hydrated with as much as 30 gallons a day on the road, a clever solution fit for a forest crew with more miles than sleep.
This year’s theme, “Starry Skies to Neon Lights: Spirit of the Silver State,” captures Nevada’s familiar contrast between quiet desert nights and the bright cities that draw the world’s attention. Along the tour route, thousands turned out at whistle stops across nine states. Nevada schools, tribes, and organizations contributed a record 22,730 handmade ornaments and 50 tree skirts, with Southwest Airlines donating the flights to carry them east.
The tree also made a memorable stop in Lovelock, where residents turned out to sign banners, take photos, and send Silver Belle off with that trademark Nevada hospitality: a mix of civic pride, small-town warmth, and plenty of hoodies in November wind.
During tonight’s ceremony, Grady Armstrong, a fourth-grade student from Virginia City, will read his award-winning essay about Nevada’s public lands before joining Speaker Johnson to throw the switch. Members of Nevada FFA leadership will also attend, President Max Bushey and Vice President from Fallon, Liam Few, another nod to the state’s youth who helped shape this year’s celebration.
The tree will remain lit every night at sundown through January 1, offering Capitol visitors a little Nevada glow through the holiday season.
How to Watch from Fallon
The ceremony will livestream at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvkKB0QZfS4
(Tuesday, Dec. 2 — 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. Nevada time)
For families following Silver Belle’s story, the U.S. Forest Service and the Agents of Discovery team have created an interactive mission within the app where kids — or adults, no judgment here — can explore the tree’s journey and learn about Nevada’s public lands from home.
Nevada’s full congressional delegation will participate tonight, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Senator Jacky Rosen, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Steven Horsford, Rep. Susie Lee, and Rep. Mark Amodei, who will deliver remarks. Mr. Thomas Austin, Architect of the Capitol, and Chief Tom Schultz of the U.S. Forest Service will also take part.
Press setup, for anyone chasing the story from D.C., opened at noon with a 2 p.m. equipment lock-in. (Yes, Rachel, even the national press has to do the same hurry-up-and-wait we do at commission meetings.)
Former HTNF Public Affairs Officer Karen Garaventa Baggett said the selection carries deep meaning for those who have worked on and advocated for Nevada’s public lands for decades. “This one feels personal,” she said — a sentiment echoed across communities who saw Silver Belle not just as a tree, but as a symbol of Nevada finally taking its place on a national holiday stage.
Tonight, when that switch flips, Silver Belle won’t just represent the Silver State. It will represent every Nevadan who ever hiked under red fir branches, watched the sunrise over sagebrush, or waved to a truck hauling a piece of home across the continent.
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