Your evening is about to get a little brighter as tonight marks the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City. The tree lighting has been a tradition since 1933 and is still going strong. Though, as with many things, this year will be somewhat different than the previous.
The festive celebration usually draws a crowd of hundreds of spectators ready to cheer as the giant spruce is lit in honor of the Christmas Season. But this year, the site will be closed to spectators in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. However, you can still get a front-row seat to all the action by watching it from the comfort of your own home on NBC.
The massive tree is a Norway spruce from Oneonta, New York that’s 75 feet tall, and 45 feet wide and weighs about 11 tons. Though it looked a little tattered during the setup, there’s no doubt all those decorations including 50,000 multicolored lights and a Swarovski star will have it looking festive in no time.
In addition to the tree lighting, you can also expect to see performances from music stars including Kelly Clarkson, Goo Goo Dolls, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jimmy Fallon, Brett Eldredge, Tori Kelly, Leslie Odom Jr., Dolly Parton, Pentatonix, Dan + Shay, Gwen Stefani, Meghan Trainor, the Cast of the Tony-winning “Ain’t Too Proud,” and The Radio City Rockettes.
When does the tree lighting start?
The Rockefeller Center tree lighting festivities start at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 2
Where is it being broadcast?
The broadcast will air from 8-10 p.m. EST on NBC, with TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and Al Roker hosting the festivities.
How can I stream it without cable?
NBC will be broadcasting the Christmas tree lighting, which most households can watch for free with an antenna. AntennaWeb is a great tool you can use to see what channels are available in your area with an antenna.
Here’s how to watch with a live TV streaming service.
- fuboTV has NBC covered with the fuboTV Family plan for $65/month.
- Sling TV offers NBC in select markets with Sling Blue for $30/month.
- Hulu with Live also carries NBC for $55/month.
- AT&T TV Now includes NBC in its base package for $55/month.
- YouTube TV includes NBC with a $65/month subscription.