ST. PAUL — A white spruce from the Chippewa National Forest that’s been designated as the 2014 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will make its first public appearance at Itasca State Park next weekend.

The Department of Natural Resources says the tree will be cut during a public ceremony on Wednesday and moved to Bemidji State University, where it will be prepared for the nearly 2,000-mile cross-country trip.

The tree will stop at Itasca State Park on Sunday, Nov. 2, where it will get a drink of water from the headwaters of the Mississippi River. It’ll be the first of nearly 30 stops the tree will make on its way to Washington.

The Minnesota Tree Growers Association will provide 70 companion trees to decorate the inside of the Capitol and other sites around Washington.