News

Actions

National Christmas Tree site reopens during shutdown

Posted at 4:19 PM, Dec 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-24 16:19:53-05

The National Park Foundation announced on Monday that the site of the National Christmas Tree in Washington was reopening after a brief closure tied to the government shutdown.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump light the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018.

The National Christmas Tree, in President’s Park outside the White House, sustained damage after a man climbed it on Friday evening.

The National Park Foundation said in its statement Monday that the site was closed after the climbing and had remained closed because of the partial government shutdown. But support from the National Park Service’s charitable foundation allowed the site to reopen on Christmas Eve.

Related: No government shutdown can keep NORAD from tracking Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve

“The National Park Foundation and hundreds of local philanthropic organizations and other park partners are always working to help ensure all people have access to our treasured national parks,” read a statement from Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation.

Opening the tree site costs $1,470 per day and the tree’s lights will be on from dusk until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the lights will remain on until 11 p.m.

However, the star on the tree was damaged by the man who climbed it and cannot be repaired during the shutdown, so it will remain unlit until it can be repaired.

The President’s Park website said the park itself would remain accessible through the shutdown, although Park Service facilities and the White House Visitor Center would stay closed.