The illumination of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will begin this Wednesday evening, December 4
Christmas in Midtown Manhattan is starting to make itself known, and Rockefeller Center will join the holiday celebration on Wednesday with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree. This year's tree was brought from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts — it's the first tree from this state delivered since 1959. The tree is an 11-ton Norwegian spruce, 74 feet tall and 43 feet wide. Over 50,000 colorful LED lights are installed on the tree, connected by nearly five miles of wire.
On Wednesday, the tree will be lit during a national television broadcast on NBC during prime time, hosted by Kelly Clarkson.
When will the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting occur in 2024?
The Christmas tree lighting will take place on Wednesday, December 4. The tree will be illuminated before 10:00 PM Eastern Time.
How and where to watch the tree lighting?
For those in New York City wishing to observe the lighting in person, a special event will be held near the tree, located above the rink at Rockefeller Center between 49th and 50th Streets, as well as 5th and 6th Avenue. Although the area around Rockefeller Center is open to the public, viewers can purchase tickets to take photographs against the backdrop of the tree. VIP tickets are also available, offering closer proximity to the tree.
Will the tree lighting be broadcast on TV and on which channel?
The pre-show broadcast of the tree lighting will begin at 6:30 PM on NBC New York’s streaming channel NBC NY, on Peacock, or other platforms you use. The full broadcast will start at 7:00 PM on NBC New York during the program "Christmas in Rockefeller Center," hosted by Natalie Pascarella, David Ushery, and Mario Lopez. The national broadcast begins at 8:00 PM on NBC with Kelly Clarkson, joined by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Elvis Duran, and Craig Melvin from TODAY.
When is the Christmas tree lit?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be lit daily from 5 AM to midnight. On Christmas Eve, the tree will be illuminated 24 hours straight, and on New Year’s Eve, the tree will be lit from 5 AM until 9 PM.
How long will the tree stand?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will remain open for visitors until mid-January 2025.
What happens to the Christmas tree after it starts shedding needles?
The tree transitions from bringing Christmas cheer to providing shelter. Once dismantled, it is placed on Rockefeller Plaza to be sliced into logs measuring 2x4 and 2x6, then stamped with Rockefeller Center’s seal. Tishman Speyer, the company that owns and manages Rockefeller Center, then donates the wood to the nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity, which helps build and improve housing across the country.
