National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to Be Broadcast Nationally For the
First Time on Public Television Beginning December 4th
Lighting Ceremony Will Also Be Streamed Live at www.thenationaltree.org
December 3rd At 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Park Service and
the National Park Foundation announced today public television stations
nationwide will broadcast the 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
across the country for the first time. In partnership with WETA, Washington,
D.C.'s flagship public broadcasting station, public television stations will
begin airing the 60-minute lighting ceremony on Friday, December 4th and
continue throughout the holiday season. Viewers are invited to check their
local public station schedules for exact broadcast dates and times.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO)
In addition, the public will be able to view the lighting ceremony live, as it
happens, on Thursday, December 3rd at 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST at
www.thenationaltree.org. The public is also invited to visit the interactive
site now and throughout the holiday season to experience all the
behind-the-scenes festivities of the event from the story of the first
National Christmas Tree to the one-of-a-kind ornaments made each year by
ordinary Americans to hang on 56 trees -- one for every U.S. state, territory
and the District of Columbia. Visitors to the site may also create their own
customized, interactive e-card for the holidays.
A first-time lottery for free tickets to the ceremony saw approximately 37,000
people submit their names for a chance to attend the tree lighting. Celebrity
performers who will help celebrate at the ceremony will be announced next
week.
The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is presented by the National
Park Foundation and National Park Service. Alex Coletti Productions will
produce the 2009 ceremony. Other supporters include General Electric, Guest
Services Inc., Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Washington, D.C., Hudler Carolina
Tree Farms, the W Hotel Washington, and the Willard InterContinental
Washington, D.C. For more information visit www.thenationaltree.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural
resources and values of the National Park System and its 392 National Park
sites for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future
generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the
benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation
throughout this country and the world. For more information, visit:
www.nps.gov
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is an independent charitable organization
chartered by Congress in 1967 to strengthen the connection between the
American people and their 392 national park sites. As the official national
non-profit partner of America's National Parks, the Foundation raises private
funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and increases
public awareness about the need and opportunity for park philanthropy. In its
2008 fiscal year, the National Park Foundation distributed grants and program
support of $27.3M. For more information, visit www.nationalparks.org
ABOUT WETA
WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station for public
television. WETA's other productions and co-productions include "The News
Hour with Jim Lehrer," "The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize," "In Performance
at the White House" and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including the
upcoming "Baseball: The Tenth Inning." Sharon Percy Rockefeller is the
president and CEO of WETA.
More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at
www.weta.org.
Contact:
National Park Service
Bill Line, Toni Braxton
(202) 619-7400
William_Line@nps.gov
Contact:
National Park Foundation
Mark Shields
(202) 354-6480
Mshields@nationalparks.org
For Broadcast Inquiries:
WETA
Suzanne Masri
(703) 998-2686
smasri@weta.org
SOURCE National Park Foundation
Bill Line, William_Line@nps.gov, or Toni Braxton, both of National Park
Service, +1-202-619-7400; or Mark Shields, National Park Foundation,
+1-202-354-6480, Mshields@nationalparks.org; or For Broadcast Inquiries,
Suzanne Masri, WETA, +1-703-998-2686, smasri@weta.org
