#FindYourPark with holiday performances by Chance the Rapper, Kelly Clarkson, and Yolanda Adams on December 1 as the National Park Service caps off its centennial celebration and launches a second century of stewardship with the 94th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse at President’s Park (White House).
Through a partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, the Hallmark Channel will exclusively broadcast the National Christmas Tree Lighting on December 2.
Free tickets for the 94th annual tree lighting ceremony presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are awarded through an online lottery, which opens at 10 a.m. EDT on Friday, October 7 and closes at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, October 10. To enter the lottery, visit www.thenationaltree.org and click the ‘TICKET LOTTERY’ link. Those without computer access may call 877-444-6777 (TDD 877-833-6777) to enter the lottery. Lottery winners will be notified on October 27.
Dates to note:
• October 7 at 10 a.m. EDT: Free ticket lottery opens
• October 10 at 10 a.m. EDT: Free ticket lottery closes
• October 27: lottery winners will be notified
• December 1: National Christmas Tree Lighting takes place on the Ellipse in President’s Park
• December 2: The Hallmark Channel broadcasts the National Christmas Tree Lighting on their network
An American holiday tradition started by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923, the National Christmas Tree Lighting is a great example of the countless ways there are to #FindYourPark. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial and setting the stage for the Service’s next 100 years, Find Your Park invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
Keep up with the National Christmas Tree on Twitter at @TheNationalTree, follow #NCTL2016 on social media, and visit www.thenationaltree.org for more information about the event and its history.
Additional information, more talent announcements, and coverage logistics for news media will happen at a later date.