Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson to Co-Host the 2014 National Christmas Tree Lighting

NE-YO, STEVE MILLER, RITA WILSON, AND CHELY WRIGHT JOIN STAR-STUDDED LINEUP OF PERFORMERS

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Nov 26, 2014, 01:22 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation announced that actor and producer Tom Hanks and singer-songwriter, actress, and producer Rita Wilson will co-host the 92nd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Wilson will also perform during the show. Additionally, multi Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actor NE-YO, multiplatinum-selling artist Steve Miller, and country star Chely Wright will join pop phenomenon Fifth Harmony, Grammy-winning legend Patti LaBelle, pop world duo Nico & Vinz, and award-winning vocal group The Tenors in performing a collection of holiday favorites. Follow @TheNationalTree on Twitter and visit www.thenationaltree.org for the most up-to-date event information.

This year's National Christmas Tree Lighting will take place on Thursday, December 4 on the Ellipse at President's Park, one of America's 401 national parks, in Washington, D.C. 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. Beginning on December 2, 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