The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony is a highlight of the festive holiday for New Yorkers and many US residents, as it features elaborate decoration, visuals, and entertainment. The tradition started in the ‘30s and has become one of the official Christmas kickoff events.
This year’s ceremony will feature performances from the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Little Big Town, RAYE, Thalia, Coco Jones, and more. The Christmas tree will be lit on December 4 until the next day and on New Year’s Eve from dawn to nighttime.
How to watch Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2024
The Christmas Rockefeller Center will air live on NBC from 8 pm to 10 pm as part of their annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special. Streaming platforms like Fubo TV and Direct TV will be showing the event, as well, and viewers can take advantage of the 7-day free trial.
Peacock subscribers can also watch with a $7.99 monthly subscription fee. This year’s event will be hosted by Kelly Clarkson, who will also be joined by TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin. The Tree Lighting is expected to draw in hundreds of thousands of people at the venue, and millions of virtual attendees.
2024’s Rockefeller Christmas Tree
This year’s tree is special because it is the first tree from Massachusetts since 1959. The 74-foot tall, 43-foot wide Norway Spruce weighs up to 11 tonnes. It arrived on November 9, two days after it was cut from West Stockbridge in the Berkshire region.
The tree is already embellished with 50,000 multi-colored LED lights, which have about five miles of wire powering them up. It is topped with a 900-pound star made out of millions of Swarovski crystals. After the festivities end in January, it will be converted to lumber and donated to Habitat For Humanity to build homes.