Have a 30- to 40-foot blue or Norway spruce you need gone? Lexington Parks & Recreation will cut it and grind the stump free if it becomes the Triangle Park Christmas tree.

Lexington is looking for this year’s downtown Christmas tree, and it may be growing in someone’s yard. Lexington Parks & Recreation asked home and business owners Monday to offer a spruce for Triangle Park.

The city’s tree is donated by a home or business owner every year, Parks & Recreation said in its announcement.

What the city is looking for

The tree should be:

  • a relatively full blue spruce or Norway spruce
  • 30 to 40 feet tall
  • reachable, with enough space and access for trucks and equipment to remove it safely

Once a tree is chosen, Parks & Recreation will cut it down and grind the stump for free. The city’s maintenance team then sets up, lights and decorates the tree in Triangle Park.

Mayor Linda Gorton said tree growth sometimes forces a removal. “Donating a tree that is already slated for removal is a great way to bring smiles and joy to the faces of many during the holiday season,” she said.

The same crews also light and maintain 53 trees along Main Street, said Monica Conrad, director of Parks & Recreation. “We are so thankful for our staff members who do such amazing work this time of year, often in cold and windy conditions,” she said.

Where the tree ends up

The tree is the centerpiece of the Holiday Tree and Menorah Lighting in Triangle Park. That follows the downtown Holiday Parade on Sunday, Dec. 6, with the lighting program starting about 6 p.m. Times, the parade route and parking are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page, and the rest of the season is in our holiday lights and Christmas events guide.

What it means for you

  • If you have a spruce that fits and you were planning to take it down, you can offer it instead of paying for removal. The city does the cutting and stump grinding free of charge.
  • To offer a tree, contact Victoria Hamm with Parks & Recreation at vhamm@lexingtonky.gov or (859) 288-2937. She can explain how the donation process works.
  • The city did not give a deadline. With the lighting set for Dec. 6, it makes sense to get in touch soon.