National Christmas Tree Lighting 2026: Free Ticket Lottery Opens Oct. 28, Ceremony Dec. 3

The National Park Service (NPS) says the 2026 National Christmas Tree lighting takes place Dec. 3 on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., and its free ticket lottery opens at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Wednesday, Oct. 28. From Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, the lottery is 3 days away and the ceremony is 39 days away. Below is the lottery timeline with weekdays and times, the separate U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, and a one-page printable.

When does the National Christmas Tree ticket lottery run?

The NPS release of Oct. 19, 2026 gives these dates. The weekdays are ours, computed from the calendar. Mark them on the November 2026 printable calendar and the December 2026 printable calendar.

Step	Day and time	Source
Lottery opens	Wed., Oct. 28, 10 a.m. ET	NPS
Lottery closes	Wed., Nov. 4, 3 p.m. ET	NPS
Winners notified	Thu., Nov. 12	NPS
Lighting ceremony	Thu., Dec. 3, on the Ellipse	NPS

The NPS says each winner may receive up to five tickets. It also says there is no charge to enter the lottery or receive tickets. Entry is online at Recreation.gov, under the name National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. A reminder set for 10 a.m. ET on Oct. 28 will help you be there when it opens.

What time is the ceremony and how can I watch?

The ceremony start time is not yet announced. The National Park Foundation says the ceremony will premiere on the National Park Foundation YouTube channel and that it will announce more media partners soon. A 2026 television broadcaster is not yet announced. Check thenationaltree.org for updates.

Is the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree the same event?

No. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a separate event with its own website. In a release dated Mar. 17, 2026, it said the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests will provide the 2026 tree. The site says the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service provides a tree each year from one of 154 national forests. The 2026 tree is an Engelmann spruce from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests in Idaho.

Capitol tree item	2026	Source
Tree	Engelmann spruce, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho	U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
Whistle-stop tour in Idaho	Thu., Oct. 29 (Grangeville) to Thu., Nov. 5 (Arco)	U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
Lighting date	Not yet announced	U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

For comparison, the Architect of the Capitol listed last year’s ceremony for Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 at 5 p.m. on the West Front Lawn. That is a 2025 detail, not a 2026 date.

What goes on the printable timeline?

The one-page printable lists six dates in order: the lottery opening and closing, the winner notices, the Dec. 3 ceremony and two Capitol tree tour stops. Dates that are not yet announced are left off. For the rest of the month, see our December 2026 important dates story, the Christmas 2026 countdown and the New York holiday calendar with the Rockefeller tree and Macy’s parade.

Not confirmed in this story: the ceremony start time, the 2026 television broadcaster and the 2026 Capitol tree lighting date.