STATEHOUSE NEWS

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On Thursday, December 5, the Ohio Statehouse will host its annual Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The festivities will feature dance groups, choirs, K-9 demonstrations, cookies and activities tables to spread the holiday cheer. This joyous event is free and open to the public!
Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine will be introduced by Randi and DJ Rice from Santa 95 (Sunny 95), to start the tree lighting ceremony, followed by the introduction of Santa and Mrs. Claus! After the tree has been lit, everyone will be free to roam the Atrium, Rotunda and ground floor to find craft tables, mascots and entertainment. Do not forget to grab a memento through snapping a picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus and shopping at the Statehouse Museum Shop.
Entertainment will take place in the Atrium and the Museum Gallery at various times throughout the night:
· Columbus Children’s Choir (Atrium-5:00 p.m.)
· OhioDance (Atrium-5:45 p.m.)
· K-9 Demonstration by Ohio State Highway Patrol (Museum Gallery-5:45 p.m.)
· All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir (Museum Gallery-6:10 p.m.)
Scioto Valley Chorus (Museum Gallery-6:35 p.m.)
Pickerington High School Chamber Strings (Museum Gallery-7 p.m.)
Drake Dance Academy (Atrium-7 - 7:30 p.m.)

An assortment of craft tables will be all around the Statehouse with wonderful organizations running them:
· Ohio Paper Folders
· Ohio Pageant Winners
· Ohio Department of Natural Resources
· National Veterans Memorial Museum
· Office of Ohio State Treasurer
· Office of Ohio Auditor of State
· Office of Ohio Secretary of State
· 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A
· Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center
· TourismOhio
· Special Olympics
· Sunny 95
Also, keep a look-out for some fun-loving mascots moseying about:
· The Chick-fil-A Cow
· LouSeal and Krash of the Columbus Clippers
· Mr. Sunny, Sunny 95
· And many others!

Stop by the Statehouse on December 5 to kick off the holiday season! For your convenience, affordable parking will be available within the Statehouse’s underground parking garage. We hope to see you there!