CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice are welcoming and encouraging West Virginians to attend the annual Joyful Night celebration – Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019 – at the State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The festive evening will feature many beloved holiday traditions and several captivating performances by West Virginians from near and far to ring in the Christmas season.
The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Plaza on the south side of the Capitol with musical performances by the Cabell Midland High School Marching Knights, the Greenbrier East High School Spartan Marching Band, and the Capital High School V.I.P.s. Then, at 6 p.m., the Governor and First Lady will light the state Christmas tree, donated this year by David and Rebecca Absher of Absher Christmas Tree Farm in Mt. Hope, WV.
From there, the Governor and First Lady will make their way inside the State Capitol Building. At 6:30 p.m., the Justices will unveil this year's Christmas decor in both the West Rotunda and the Governor's Reception Room, where recognition trees honoring Military and First Responders – as well as recognition trees for the Communities In Schools program – will be displayed throughout the holiday season. The Governor and First Lady will also participate in the Toys for Tots donation program and recognize work being done across the state through the Communities In Schools program.
Afterward, at 7:05 p.m., the program will move to the Great Hall of the State Culture Center, where First Lady Justice will announce the winners of the statewide student ornament contest. This portion of the evening will also include the lighting of the Menorah, additional musical performances by The Greenbrier Performers and McDowell County student T.J. Goins, as well as a visit from Santa himself.
The final stop of the evening will come at the Governor's Mansion at 7:30 p.m., where the Tri-State Trombone 4 will perform, before Governor and First Lady Justice come together for the traditional reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”