The Height of Holiday Spirit

The City of Westminster has a lot of bragging rights — nearly 3,800 acres of open space, more than 100 miles of trails, our very own Big Ben of the West, and scenic paddleboarding at Standley Lake. What you might not know is that we also have the tallest living decorated Christmas tree in the state!

It stands proudly in front of Fire Station 1 off 73rd Avenue and Bradburn Boulevard in Historic Westminster. When last measured, our tree was over 64 feet tall, but that was several years ago, so it has surely grown since then. If you’d like to see it in all its lit-up glory, you can do so on Friday, December 5 during the annual Home Town Christmas in Historic Westminster, presented by the Westminster Historical Society. The tree lighting ceremony itself is a tradition that goes back over 100 years.

In 1923, Doc and Laura Shipman brought a Colorado Blue Spruce tree down from Coal Creek Canyon and planted it in Russell Park as a living Christmas tree. Back then, our magnificent tree was more of a Charlie Brown tree standing at just five feet tall. That first year, residents decorated it with strings of popcorn and cranberries.

Since then, the decorations have come a long way, with thousands of bright lights, bows, and painted handmade ornaments crafted by local artists. City firefighters now team up with other staff and the Westminster Historical Society to put on a fun, family-friendly lighting ceremony each holiday season.

Westminster Battalion Chief Jake Lieser has been a part of it for 20 years. “I love the sense of community the ceremony brings,” Lieser reflected. “It’s great that the fire department is part of something that’s so special to the neighborhood.”

Gather your friends and family and come check out the tree lighting! Besides the festive cheer and camaraderie, you can also meet the guest of honor: Santa Claus. He will make his grand entrance on a fire truck, and you won’t want to miss it!