Office of Communications News Release

Tuesday, December 3, 2002

For Immediate Release:

Bill Line or Toni Braxton (202) 619-7400

Washington, D.C. – President George W. Bush is expected to officially open the 79^th annual Christmas Pageant of Peace, Thursday, December 5^th when he presses the button lighting the National Christmas Tree, located on the Ellipse, south of the White House. The ceremony preceding the lighting begins at 5:00 p.m.

Lighting the National Christmas Tree, a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce, marks the official beginning of the holiday season and is an unbroken tradition begun in 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge lit the first tree in President's Park on behalf of all Americans. The National Park Service, in partnership with the Christmas Pageant of Peace, Inc., sponsors the pageant.

The list of on-stage performers includes the United States Air Force Band, under the direction of Col. Dennis Layendecker; Actress and Pageant Hostess, Barbara Eden; Grammy Award winning composer/musician, Mannheim Steamroller; Country music sensation, Lee Ann Womack; Lyric soprano, Hei-Kyung Hong; Top- Award winner Steve Wariner; and the operatic voices of Three Mo' Tenors. Joining the celebrity talent will be 40 voices from the World Children's Choir of McLean, Virgina under the direction of Sondra Harnes. Nashville's Roy Clark will appear as Santa Claus.

The lighting ceremony is only the beginning of the Christmas Pageant of Peace. Musical entertainment, featuring musical groups, will be held most nights from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. starting December 6^th and running through December 30^th (except December 24^th and 25^th).

Ticket holders for this year's Pageant of Peace are asked to enter the Ellipse at either 15th and Constitution Ave., or at 15^th and E Streets. Non-ticketed members of the general public are invited to attend and are asked to enter the Ellipse at either 17^th and Constitution Ave., or at 17^th and E Streets. All ticket holders and all non-ticketed members of the general public must pass through Secret Service magnetometers at all entrances and personal items will be searched. Everyone is advised there may be long lines to enter the magnetometers. Backpacks, strollers, glass bottles, thermos jugs or thermos containers will not be allowed.

2,800 tickets for the Pageant of Peace were distributed November 2^nd at the Ellipse Visitors Center on a first come, first served basis. All 2,800 tickets were claimed on that date.

Seasonal displays include a Yule log and a large-scale model train. For the tenth consecutive year, the National Capital Trackers, a local model train club, will provide model trains that surround the base of the National Christmas Tree. The trains will run from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily until the Pageant concludes.

In what becomes the "Pathway of Peace," the National Christmas Tree and 56 smaller trees--one for each state, five territories and the District of Columbia--serve as the focal point of the Christmas Pageant of Peace. All 57 trees will be lit each evening at dusk until 11:00 p.m. and will remain lighted each night through January 1^st. Sponsoring organizations in each state provide the tree decorations and each decoration is encased in protective plastic to shield it from the weather. The theme of this year's pageant is "peace on earth, good will to all, everywhere," the same theme each year.

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