On Thursday, the White House will host the 97^th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting at the Ellipse. This year’s tree, a 30-foot Colorado blue spruce transplanted in October from Lebanon County Pennsylvania, replaces the a blue spruce from Virginia that was planted in 2012.

As crowds gather for the ceremony, which features a line-up of musical performances leading up to the lighting, prepare for road closures and traffic back-ups downtown. To avoid a not-so-jolly Thursday commute, you might want to make your way to the Metro.

Here are a list of Thursday’s road closures and parking changes per the Metropolitan Police Department:

The following streets will be closed from approximately 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.:

• 17^th Street, NW between Pennsylvania Avenue and Independence Avenue NW
• C Street NW between 17^th and 18^th Street NW
• D Street NW between 17^th and 18^th Street NW
• E Street NW between 17^th and 18^th Street NW
• F Street NW between 17^th and 18^th Street NW
• G Street NW between 17^th and 18^th Street NW
• New York Avenue between 17^th and 18^th Street,NW
• Constitution Avenue between 18^th Street and 14^th Street NW
• 15^th Street between H Street NW and Madison Drive NW (Traffic will still be allowed to flow south on 15^th Street from Madison Drive)

• Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 14^th Street and 15^th Street NW
• E Street NW between 14^th Street and 15^th Street NW
• F Street NW between 14^th  Street and 15^th Street NW
• G Street NW between 14^th Street and 15^th Street NW
• New York Avenue NW between 14^th Street and 15^th Street NW

The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• 17^th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue NW
• Constitution Avenue between 18^th Street and 14^th Street NW
• 15^th Street between H Street and Constitution Avenue NW