Home / District of Columbia / National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
- When
- (Starts in 37 days)
- Where
- Washington, DC
- More events in Washington, DC
- Date source
- Organizer site · thenationaltree.org
Official siteAdd to calendar (.ics)Map (OpenStreetMap)
About this event
The National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse at President's Park traces back to 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to light a 48-foot fir decorated with electric bulbs. More than a century later, the ceremony still opens the holiday season in the nation's capital, and the tree is surrounded by a display of ornaments designed by students from every state, territory and the District of Columbia. Several days after the lighting, the grounds open to the public through New Year's Day, with the tree glowing from sunset into the late evening.
Our take: If you can't land ceremony tickets, visit the tree on a weeknight after the grounds reopen and take your time with the state ornaments.
Good to know
Ceremony tickets are handled through recreation.gov; the ceremony also premieres on the National Park Foundation's YouTube channel.
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USA Fest Bot is not affiliated with this event and sells no tickets. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site before you go (how dates work). See something wrong? Send a correction.