On December 8, 2021, Union Station was host to the 24th annual Norwegian holiday tree lighting ceremony.

A consortium of partners, including the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and Washington Performing Arts, presented the 32-foot holiday tree to the people of Washington, DC. For the 25th time since 1996, on behalf of the citizens of Norway, this generous gift symbolized gratitude for the assistance Norway received during WWII and appreciation for the strong friendship between the two countries.

The emcee for the event was Get Up DC Anchor Allison Seymour. In attendance this year were some very special guests – His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Ambassador of Norway to the U.S., Anniken Ramberg Krutnes. Both gave wonderful introductory remarks, with the Crown Prince relating how his family had ties to Washington, DC, as his father, King Harald V of Norway, lived in the District during WWII. Then the Crown Prince led the crowd in a countdown to lighting the holiday tree.

This year’s performance line-up, co-presented by Mars Arts D.C. and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, included fantastic musical performances by cross-genre vocalist and past contestant on The Voice Rayshun LaMarr, DC-based string ensemble The C Street Collective, and Norwegian-Brazilian jazz singer Charlotte Dos Santos, as well as an amazing performance by local teenage dance virtuoso Matthew Crittenden.

Additional photos can be found on the USRC Facebook page and videos are available on the Union Station YouTube channel.

The 2021 Norwegian holiday tree lighting ceremony was made possible by Equinor, Kongsberg, Nammo, Lockheed Martin, Teledyne Flir, Insitu, DNV, Innovation Norway, and Mars Arts D.C., a partnership of Mars, Incorporated and Washington Performing Arts, with support from Jacqueline Badger Mars.

Photo Credit: Jillian Hess, USRC Public Relations and Outreach Manager