James Taylor Added to 94th Annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Talent Lineup

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- James Taylor has been added to the lineup for the 94th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Find out who else has been announced so far at www.thenationaltree.org. Taking place on Thursday, December 1, on the Ellipse at President's Park (White House), the special event wraps the National Park Service centennial year and celebrates the launch of a second century of stewardship. Through a partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, the National Christmas Tree Lighting will be telecast exclusively on the Hallmark Channel on Monday, December 5, and simulcast on DirecTV 4K Ultra HD. *

Free tickets for the 94th annual tree lighting ceremony presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are awarded through an online lottery, which opens tomorrow, October 7, at 10 a.m. EDT and closes at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, October 10. To enter the lottery, visit www.thenationaltree.org and click the "TICKET LOTTERY" link. Those without computer access may call 877-444-6777 (TDD 877-833-6777) to enter the lottery. Lottery winners will be notified on October 27.

Dates to note:

• Tomorrow, October 7 at 10 a.m. EDT: Free ticket lottery opens
• October 10 at 10 a.m. EDT: Free ticket lottery closes
• October 27: lottery winners will be notified
• December 1: National Christmas Tree Lighting takes place on the Ellipse in President's Park
• December 5 at 7 p.m. ET/PT: National Christmas Tree Lighting telecast exclusively on the Hallmark Channel and simulcast on DirecTV 4K Ultra HD

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 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, Find Your Park invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.

Keep up with the National Christmas Tree on Twitter at @TheNationalTree, follow #NCTL2016 on social media, and visit www.thenationaltree.org for more information about the event and its history. 

Additional information, more talent announcements, and coverage logistics for news media will be released at a later date.

*Please note that a previous release said it would be broadcast on December 2. The broadcast is now confirmed for December 5.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 413 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

The National Park Service has cared for the White House and its grounds since 1933. President's Park, which includes the Ellipse and Lafayette Park, was officially included in the national park system in 1961.

ABOUT CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS
Crown Media Family Networks is the umbrella unit subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc., housing cable's leading family friendly networks, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, as well as their corresponding digital extensions HallmarkChannel.com and HallmarkMoviesandMysteries.com. The company operates and distributes both channels in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) with Hallmark Channel available to 90 million subscribers and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 68 million homes in the United States. Hallmark Channel features an ambitious slate of new, original content, including movies; scripted series, such as "When Calls the Heart," and "Good Witch" and "Chesapeake Shores"; annual specials including "Hero Dog Awards" and "Kitten Bowl"; world premieres of Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations, and a daily, two-hour lifestyle show, "Home & Family." Hallmark Channel is also home to the popular annual holiday franchise "Countdown to Christmas," featuring a lineup of 24/7 holiday programming. Rounding out the network's lineup are television's most beloved comedy and drama series, including "The Golden Girls," "The Middle," "Frasier," "Last Man Standing" and "Home Improvement." Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is a separate 24-hour, digital cable network featuring a unique mix of new, original movies and acquired series focused on the lighter side of the suspense and mystery genres. The network also features its own annual holiday programming franchise, "Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas," as well as presentations from the multi-award-winning Hallmark Hall of Fame library.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service's 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America's National Parks, a $350 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
National Park Service
Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles         
202-619-7177    
[email protected]                                      

National Park Foundation
Alanna Sobel
202-796-2538
[email protected]  

Hallmark Channel
Pam Slay
818-755-2480
[email protected]

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SOURCE National Park Foundation