President Obama and First Family to Light the National Christmas Tree December 4 from President's Park

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are excited to announce that President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their family will officially light the National Christmas Tree on Thursday, December 4 at the 92^nd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Ellipse in President's Park, one of America's 401 national parks. Follow @TheNationalTree on Twitter and visit www.thenationaltree.org for the most up-to-date event information including how to tune in and watch the online live stream of the show.

Co-hosted by actor and producer Tom Hanks and singer-songwriter, actress, and producer Rita Wilson, this year's National Christmas Tree Lighting features a talented line-up of performers, including Wilson herself. Additionally, pop phenomenon Fifth Harmony, Grammy-winning legend Patti Labelle, multi Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actor NE-YO, multiplatinum-selling artist Steve Miller, pop world duo Nico & Vinz, award-winning vocal group The Tenors, and country star Chely Wright will perform holiday favorites.

The ceremony begins at 4:30 p.m. ET with the National Christmas Tree Lighting pre-show, co-hosted by 94.7 FRESH FM's Tommy McFLY and ABC7/WJLA-TV's Jummy Olabanji. The event will air on public television throughout the month of December.  For broadcast times, check local listings or the National Christmas Tree Lighting website.

Presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, and produced by Bounce AEG, the National Christmas Tree Lighting kicks off a four-week holiday celebration at President's Park. This year's ceremony marks the 92^nd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting, an American holiday tradition started by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.

Thanks to Google's Made with Code, the premier sponsor of the 2014 National Christmas Tree Lighting, girls across the country will experience the beauty of code by lighting up holiday trees at President's Park. Girls can head to madewithcode.com to code a design for one of the 56 state and territory trees. Girls can select the shape, size, and color of the lights, and animate different patterns using introductory programming language and their designs will appear live on the trees. Other event supporters are GE Lighting, Amtrak, Guest Services Inc., Hargrove, Hudler Carolina Tree Farms, Loews Madison, Nicolas Holiday, and Uber.

For more information about the event and its history, please visit www.thenationaltree.org and follow the National Christmas Tree on Twitter at @TheNationalTree. Join the conversation online using the hashtag #NCTL2014.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

The National Park Service has cared for the White House and its grounds since 1933. President's Park, which includes the Ellipse and Lafayette Park, was officially included in the national park system in 1961.
Visit us at: http://www.nps.gov/whho, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter: www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube: www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service.  Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards.  Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org

MEDIA CONTACTS:
National Park Service
Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles
202-619-7400
[email protected]

National Park Foundation
Alanna Sobel
202-354-6486
[email protected]

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SOURCE National Park Foundation

Related Links

http://www.thenationaltree.org