We're all still eating Halloween candy, but it's not too early to start planning for the holiday season. Case in point: The ticket lottery for the National Christmas Tree Lighting outside the White House opened Wednesday morning.
The event will feature musical performances before the live Christmas tree lights up the night on Thursday, Nov. 30 at President's Park (also known as the Ellipse), just south of the White House. The guest list and host haven’t been announced yet.
As usual, free tickets to the ceremony will be available through a lottery system, which opened Wednesday at 10 a.m. You can enter any time until Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.
To enter the lottery, visit recreation.gov and click/tap "TICKET LOTTERY" or call 877-444-6777, the National Park Service said. Lottery winners will be notified on Nov. 15.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
Important dates to know about the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony:
- Nov. 1: Free ticket lottery opened at 10 a.m. ET
- Nov. 8: Free ticket lottery closes at 3 p.m. ET
- Nov. 15: Lottery results will be announced
- Nov. 30: National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
- Dec. 2: The National Christmas Tree site opens to the public
- Dec. 15: CBS Network will broadcast the National Christmas Tree Lighting special at 8 p.m. ET
Last year was the ceremony’s 100th anniversary. The ceremony was first introduced by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.
Want to know what's up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.
