President Obama and First Family to light National Christmas Tree today

WASHINGTON, DC – The First Family will officially light the National Christmas Tree during the 2015 National Christmas Tree Lighting, presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks.

Hosted by Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon, this year’s National Christmas Tree Lighting features a talented line-up of performers. Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famers David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash; multi-platinum selling artists Fall Out Boy; retro-pop-soul singer Andra Day; Grammy-nominated singer Aloe Blacc; Bellamy Young; chart-topping singer/songwriter Kelsea Ballerini; multi-instrumentalist Tori Kelly; musician, producer, and philanthropist Trombone Shorty; the Joyous String Ensemble; and the United States Coast Guard Band will perform a collection of holiday favorites. Miss Piggy will make a special appearance and do a reading with First Lady Michelle Obama.

This year’s kick-off to the holiday season in our nation’s capital marks the 93rd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting and will be held today, December 3, 2015, on the Ellipse at President’s Park (White House). The ceremony will kick off the holiday season in our nation’s capital and can be viewed online LIVE at www.thenationaltree.org beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET with the exclusive National Christmas Tree Lighting pre-show. The event can be seen on public television throughout the month of December. For broadcast times, check local listings or the National Christmas Tree Lighting website.

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 from all backgrounds 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, #FindYourPark invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.