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Tree With 60,000 Strands Of Lights To Be A Centerpiece Of Denver Mile High Holidays

DENVER (CBS4) - It's beginning to look more like the holidays around the Denver area, and this year, a new free attraction will help to light up the city. A 110-feet tall illuminated tree is the largest installation of its kind in the United States.

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Denver prepares to kick off the holidays with the country's largest illuminated tree. (credit: CBS)

The Mile High Tree sits outside the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

"There are 12 stories and 76 pieces, just so you know," said Jayne Buck, the Vice President of Tourism for Visit Denver.

Throughout the past week, the tree has been stacked together in pieces and parts. On Tuesday, crews were putting the final touches on 60,000 strands of LED lights.

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(credit: CBS)

The Mile High Tree is the largest digital tree in the country, as well as the tallest art installation in Denver. It was designed and created in Spain by LMEX Illumination, a globally renowned production company. Buck said, there is nothing else like it in the world.

"They're very professional about putting one-of-a-kind installations in cities around the world," she explained.

Once the tree is officially lit up, it will showcase digital light shows choreographed to multicultural holiday music. People can view from afar, or walk into the middle of the tree to see the lights from the bottom up.

"You get to walk through it and enjoy music and light shows every 30 minutes," Buck explained.

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(credit: CBS)

When a light show is not taking place, holiday music will be played by the Colorado Symphony. It's an immersive and free experience, the city hopes will draw more visitors to Denver this holiday season.

"We want more people to think of Denver as a must-visit destination for the holidays," Buck said. "And what better way to do that then to have a one-of-a-kind tree, in the United States, for our attraction?"

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(credit: CBS)

The official tree lighting ceremony will be Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. outside of the DCPA. CBS4's Britt Moreno will be the host of the ceremony.

There will be multiple events held at the Mile High Tree throughout the holiday season as part of the city's Mile High Holidays campaign. Other holiday favorites coming up include:

11/9 - 12/23    The Polar Express at Colorado Railroad Museum
11/16 - 12/24  Santa's Flight Academy at Cherry Creek Shopping Center
11/24               Champagne Cascade at the Brown Palace Hotel
12/7                 1940's White Christmas Ball at Hyatt Regency Denver

LINK: Mile High Holidays

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