The National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2015 at the President’s Park at the White House. The televised ceremony will feature Miss Piggy. Details for the television station that will broadcast the ceremony are not available yet, but the ceremony will air throughout .

National Christmas Tree Lighting

National Christmas Tree 2014 photo by Anthony Quintano

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has been a tradition since President Calvin Coolidge had the first Christmas Tree lighting in 1923. At that time, the 48-foot Christmas tree had 2,500 lights.

Present Christmas trees are more energy efficient than in the past, because they are lit with LED lights. For over 50 years GE Lighting has designed the National Christmas Tree. This year marks the 93rd National Christmas Tree Lighting.

Performers at this year’s ceremony include Fall Out Boy, Audra Day, Tori Kelly, Trombone Shorty, Crosby Stills & Nash, Aloe Blacc, Kelsea Ballerini, and the Joyous String Quartet

The event also sheds the spotlight on the National Park Service, which is using the Christmas Tree Lighting to urge people to visit the National Parks and discover the personal connections they can share with nature and the great outdoors.