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The Rockefeller Christmas Tree guide
Every Christmas, thousands of New Yorkers (and tourists) travel to the bright and brilliant nexus of town.
The Rockefeller Tree Lighting is an NYC holiday tradition that brings thousands of New Yorkers (and tourists) to the bright and brilliant nexus of town each Christmas.
Sure, various tree lighting ceremonies take place all over New York, but the show at Rockefeller Center is by far the most renowned. Don’t skip your chance to see the towering tree glowing in Christmas lights for the first time only a few days after Thanksgiving in NYC.
This tree is one of the top New York attractions to visit in person. There’s nothing better than going ice-skating, warming up with hot cocoa and taking pictures with the stunning Rockefeller Center tree as your backdrop.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the Rockefeller Christmas Tree
When is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit for the holiday season during a special ceremony on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. There will be fantastic performers and live music that evening.
The tree typically lights up just before 10pm, with a live national broadcast beginning at 8pm on NBC and simulcast on Peacock.
Where is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
The Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony is located at Rockefeller Center between 49th and 50th Sts in Manhattan.
Who will be performing at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting?
There's a star-studded lineup for 2024, including the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE, and Thalia. Plus, expect to see the Radio City Rockettes perform, too.
Kelly Clarkson will return for the second year to host the two-hour holiday affair. NBC's "TODAY" anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin will once again join the tree lighting for a special appearance.
When and where can I visit the Rockefeller Center tree?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be lit daily from 5am to midnight daily after the special light-up night ceremony on Wednesday, December 4. On Christmas Eve, the tree is lit for 24 hours and on New Year’s Eve it is lit from 5am to 9pm. The tree goes dark for the season in mid-January.
How big is the tree?
This year's tree was selected from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The gigantic Norway Spruce weighs 11 tons, reaches 74 feet tall and stretches 43 feet wide. More than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights wrap around the towering tree. It's topped with a three-dimensional Swarovski star that weighs 900 pounds and sparkles with 3 million crystals. Architect Daniel Libeskind designed the stunning star in 2018.
What's the history of the tree lighting ceremony?
The Rockefeller Center tree tradition dates back almost a century. In 1931, construction workers building Rockefeller Center put up a Christmas tree, and the tradition began. Two years later in 1933, the first formal Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony was held; that tree sported 700 lights.
Here's more about the fascinating history of the Rockefeller Center tree.
