Culture & Tourism: National Christmas Tree Lighting Lottery Opens October 28; Ceremony Set for December 3
The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation opened the free ticket lottery for the 2026 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 10 a.m. on October 28. Applications are accepted through the official lottery page until 3 p.m. on November 4, applicants will be notified of their status by November 12, and this year's ceremony is scheduled for December 3 at President's Park in Washington, D.C.
The event is free to attend, tickets are limited to five per household, and every attendee, including infants, must have a ticket to enter. This year's performers and special guests will be announced at a later date; past performers have included Patti LaBelle, Mannheim Steamroller and the U.S. Navy Band.
The National Christmas Tree Lighting tradition dates back to 1923 under President Calvin Coolidge and has become an annual fixture of the holiday season in the nation's capital.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 华盛顿国家圣诞树夜景（资料图）。Mike Maguire 摄，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The National Christmas Tree in Washington at night (file photo). Photo by Mike Maguire, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
