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First Night Raleigh Acorn being transported

Acorn Preparations Underway for First Night Raleigh at WRAL Nights of Lights

The Raleigh acorn is on the move!

Our friends at Southern Crane and the City of Raleigh transported the 1,250-lb acorn out of downtown Raleigh this morning for its annual polish before New Year’s Eve.

Over the next 3 weeks, artist David Benson will be carefully buffing and polishing the year’s wear and tear away at his studio. On December 30 & 31, the acorn will make a one-of-a-kind appearance at the inaugural WRAL Nights of Lights drive-thru experience at Dorothea Dix Park as a special edition of First Night Raleigh.

Ring in the new year with the acorn surrounded by a spectacular specially commissioned large-scale art installation by Nate Sheaffer and the Glas Neon team, available for viewing on December 30 & 31 only.

We’d like to thank our friends at Southern Crane who were out early this morning to safely transport the acorn to its temporary home for the 30th year in a row. Moving this hefty copper and steel work of art is no small feat!

Throughout the year, you can find the acorn resting in front of the Duke Energy Center of Performing Arts near the intersection of South Street and Salisbury Street.

Buy your tickets and find out more information about First Night Raleigh at WRAL Nights of Lights at firstnightraleigh.com/tickets.

Close up of First Night Raleigh Acorn

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