The 40-foot-tall National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., was blown over by 30 mph winds Tuesday afternoon, and was down for five hours until a crane lifted it back into place.
“After assessing the tree’s condition and replacing a snapped cable, the tree is now upright as of 6 p.m.,” a White House spokesperson told The Washington Post.
The annual tree lighting ceremony is still scheduled to take place on Thursday, and an NPS statement said, “As the saying goes, ‘the show must go on,’ and the NPS and our event partners are looking at all possibilities to ensure a successful event this year. We will provide updates when they become available.”
A previous National Christmas tree this year was replaced on Nov. 11 “after developing needle cast, a fungal disease that causes needles to turn brown and fall off,” the NPS said.
Though it is not clear if this new tree is damaged from the fall or if a crane will hold it up during the ceremony, many are expected to gather on the Ellipse at the White House and President’s Park Thursday night, per The National Tree.
The event will be broadcast by CBS as part of a tree lighting special on Dec. 15.
Below is another view of the tree being lifted back into place, per an X post.