Mario Lopez to Host In-Person 'Home for the Holidays' Kickoff Concert at Westfield Montgomery, Benefiting Children's National Medical Center

BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mario Lopez, the Emmy Award-winning, New York Times best-selling author, producer, actor, and host, is making a special guest emcee appearance to kick off the holiday season at the award-winning shopping destination, Westfield Montgomery. 

Lopez, host of NBC's "Access Hollywood" and "Access Daily" will lead Montgomery's festivities beginning at 11 am on Sunday, November 20; and the public is invited to attend and enjoy a full schedule of free festivities and entertainment. People who RSVP are entered to win a chance to meet Lopez later that day.

Programming will begin with a string quartet from some of the country's top string musicians. The string quartet will be led by Tom Dziekonski, a world-renowned violinist and first violin section of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra. Cello will be played by Virginia Dziekonski, principal cello for the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Institute, viola by SSG Erica Schwartz of The U.S. Army Strings, and second violin by SSG Patrick LIN of The U.S. Army Band. The quartet will perform throughout the show with classic and eclectic holiday music.

Intermixed will be premier musical tribute band, The Little Mermen playing a wintery mix of nostalgic family-friendly covers.

The Maryland Youth Ballet will take the stage to perform abbreviated numbers from its award winning, full-length holiday classic The Nutcracker. A little mischief may ensue with everyone's favorite hometown mascots, the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln & Teddy Roosevelt will close out the celebration with their own holiday routine escorting the guest of honor, Santa Claus.

Westfield Montgomery is bringing the magic of the holidays alive, while igniting the spirit of the season. Attendees are encouraged to make a donation when registering for this free event and in-center throughout the holiday season to benefit Children's National Medical Center. Donations made will be matched, up to $10,000, by Westfield Montgomery.

Contributions raised throughout the season will assist with funding Children's Patient Experience Program which supports each child's psychological and emotional wellness through exciting, stimulating activities to feed their growing minds; specifically, Seacrest Studios, a state-of-the-art facility gives kids an interactive space to explore radio, television, and social media, share their on-air talents and participate in entertaining programs that are broadcast directly to patient rooms.

The event is open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged and will enter guests in to win a meet and greet with Mario Lopez. To RSVP for the event and enter to win, please visit Westfield/Children's National Home for the Holidays.

Westfield Montgomery is a 1.1-million-square-foot flagship shopping center located just minutes from Washington D.C. right off interstate 270 in Montgomery County, Maryland. The center is the retail destination of choice for communities in Bethesda, Potomac, and Chevy Chase and across the wider region. The center is currently home to such top brands such as Nordstrom, Zara, Lululemon, Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Fabletics, Kiehl's, Sephora, Urban Outfitters, LEGO, J.Jill, Nespresso, Madewell, Stuart Weitzman, Bonobos, Tesla, Tommy Bahama, Apple and the critically acclaimed Lucky Strike gastropub / bowling alley concept. Westfield Montgomery is also home to popular restaurants and eateries like The Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack and CAVA. Moving into the future, Westfield Montgomery will be transformed from a traditional shopping center into a completely reimagined city center encompassing best-in-class residential, retail, office, co-working, health and wellness, restaurant, entertainment, hotel, and recreational offerings.

Children's National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., was established in 1870 to help every child grow up stronger. Today, it is the No. 5 children's hospital in the nation. It is ranked No. 1 for newborn care for the sixth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children's National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. The Children's National Research & Innovation Campus opened in 2021, a first-of-its-kind pediatric hub dedicated to developing new and better ways to care for kids. Children's National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children's National is home to the Children's National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels. As a non-profit, Children's National relies on generous donors to help ensure that every child receives the care they need. For more information, please visit: childrensnational.org.

Established by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in 2015, Seacrest Studios, a state-of-the-art facility, gives kids an interactive space to explore radio, television and social media, share their on-air talents and participate in entertaining programs that are broadcast directly to patient rooms. The ultimate playroom, the studio provides fun games, arts and crafts and other creative outlets that contribute to the healing process for children and families dealing with illness. On any given day, you can find patients hosting their own shows on topics ranging from sports to science or singing and dancing to their favorite karaoke songs. The 920 square-foot, glass-fronted studio located in the Costco Wholesale Atrium gives visitors an up-close glimpse into the fun activities happening inside. What makes the studio truly unique is that patients who are unable to leave their rooms can virtually interact with guests and celebrities who visit the studio. By tuning into WPAW-90 (channel 90), patients can participate by calling in to request a song, answer daily trivia questions and win prizes.

Since opening, the team has produced 100 original programs while welcoming more than 15,000 visitors. Celebrity guests have included Ryan Seacrest, First Lady Michelle Obama, singers Meghan Trainor and Lana Del Ray, Major League Baseball player Bryce Harper and more.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Mahoney
Haute Haus Agency
[email protected]
240-271-5762

SOURCE Westfield Montgomery