STATEHOUSE NEWS

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Come one, come all! It is now that time of the year to grab your loved ones and holiday cheer to celebrate the Ohio Statehouse Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival. Everyone is invited! Save the date and join the fun at this year's remarkable celebration on Monday, December 3, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public!

The festival marks the commencement of the holiday season on Capitol Square and throughout all of Ohio. For almost a hundred years, this celebration has brought Ohioans together for a vision of seasonal wonder and the sights, sounds and flavors of the holiday season.

The ceremony will consist of a short welcoming of Santa Claus as he arrives at the Ohio Statehouse and a luminous tree lighting. When Capitol Square is lit up and filled with holiday cheer, the festivities will then continue inside the Statehouse for a magical evening. There will be refreshments, arts and crafts activities, games and special performances. A photo station will be available to capture the moment and hold on to the memory of this extraordinary evening with Santa Claus.

This is a delightful time of year, so come and start off the holiday season at the Ohio Statehouse with this magical night!

Convenient and affordable parking is available during the event in the Ohio Statehouse underground parking garage. Parking rates are available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.

Holiday press images are available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Collection.aspx?start=1&collectionId=108513 or upon request.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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