How to watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony

New York, New York - It's finally time for the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, a New York City staple. Here's how to watch this year's celebration on Wednesday night!

This year's Rockefeller Christmas Tree waiting to be lit (l.) and last year's tree (r.).
This year's Rockefeller Christmas Tree waiting to be lit (l.) and last year's tree (r.).  © Collage: IMAGO / MediaPunch & ZUMA Press Wire

The 92nd Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 4, at 10 PM EST, with festivities and a national broadcast starting at 6:30 PM.

This bad boy will boast over 50,000 multicolored LED lights connected by about five miles worth of wire, according to the show's host network NBC.

This year's Rockefeller Center tree is a 74-feet tall and 43-feet wide Norway Spruce, weighing in at 11-tons. It's the first to come from Massachusetts since 1959.

Here's how to watch in person and from the warmth of your own home!

How to watch and stream the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting this year

The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrived in Manhattan's Rockefeller Plaza on November 9, standing 74-foot-tall and 43-foot-in-diameter.
The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrived in Manhattan's Rockefeller Plaza on November 9, standing 74-foot-tall and 43-foot-in-diameter.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting coverage will start at 6:30 PM on streaming via the NBC New York app, NBCNewYork.com, or on Peacock.

A full TV broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center starts at 7 PM on NBC with hosts Natalie Pasquarella, David Ushery, and Mario Lopez.

Then the official show gets underway at 8 PM, hosted by Kelly Clarkson and joined by the hosts of TODAY.

The countdown will light up around 10 PM.

You can also watch on social media on Rockefeller Center's official Instagram account for live updates.

How to watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting in person in New York City

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting is free and open to the public in New York City if you're up for braving the crowds and cold. It will take place next to the Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center Plaza, located in Manhattan between 49th and 50th Streets, and 5th and 6th Avenues. The forecasted temperature for Wednesday night is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you miss the big lighting, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be illuminated daily afterward from 5 AM to midnight through the middle of January.

On Christmas Eve, it will stay lit for 24 hours straight.

To the start of a very lit Christmas season! For more 2024 NYC holiday happenings, click here.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / MediaPunch & ZUMA Press Wire

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