According to FOX 5 DC, the free online ticket lottery for the 2026 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony opened October 28 at 10 a.m., giving people a shot at attending the annual holiday celebration near the White House. Applications will be accepted until November 4 at 3 p.m., and anyone hoping for a seat at the Ellipse in President's Park needs to act before that window closes.
This year's ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, at President's Park, according to fox5dc.com. The event is presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, and it remains free to enter, though tickets are limited to five per household. Applicants can enter through Recreation.gov by selecting the ticket lottery option, and every attendee — including infants — must have a ticket to get in, per WUSA9.
Those who apply won't have to wait long for word on their status. Applicants will be notified regarding their ticket status by November 12, as reported by FOX 5 DC, giving successful entrants about three weeks to plan before the tree lights up on the Ellipse.
How to Watch If You Don't Win Tickets
Missing out on the in-person lottery doesn't mean missing the show entirely. The ceremony will premiere nationwide on December 5 on the National Park Foundation's YouTube channel, according to the event's official page on thenationaltree.org. Viewers can also check local television listings for broadcast information, per the same WUSA9 report.
Even after the ceremony itself wraps, there's a longer window to see the tree in person. From December 7, 2026, through January 1, 2027, the grounds will be open to the public, and the lights turn on near sunset each evening throughout that stretch, National Christmas Tree reported at National Christmas Tree.
A Tradition Dating Back More Than a Century
The celebration includes the official lighting of the National Christmas Tree along with live musical performances, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1923 under President Calvin Coolidge, per a report from Recreation.gov. Past performers at the ceremony have included Patti LaBelle, Mannheim Steamroller, and the U.S. Navy Band, though the lineup of entertainers and special guests for 2026 has not yet been announced.
Surrounding the main tree, visitors will find a display featuring trees representing states and U.S. territories, decorated with student-designed ornaments from across the country. Students from every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia are invited to design the one-of-a-kind ornaments for that America Celebrates display, which surrounds the National Christmas Tree and remains free and open to all visitors, according to thenationaltree.org.
For now, the next deadline on the calendar is the lottery cutoff itself. Anyone hoping to stand on the Ellipse for this year's lighting should head to Recreation.gov before applications close on November 4 at 3 p.m., since the national tree's official page directs all ticket questions there.
