2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in NYC – Sneak Peek at What Families Can Expect

This year’s 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree hails from Massachusetts, marking the first time since 1959 that a tree from the state has been chosen! The Norway Spruce, sourced from West Stockbridge in the Southern Berkshires, will be cut down on Thursday, November 7, 2024, and is set to arrive at Center Plaza on Saturday, November 9, 2024.

The annual Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2024, during the live broadcast of Christmas at Rockefeller Center.

Psst… Check Out the Rink at Rockefeller Center

Tree Illumination Schedule:

The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will shine daily from 5 am to midnight.
On Christmas Eve, it will remain lit for 24 hours.
On New Year’s Eve, the tree will be illuminated from 5 am to 9 pm.
The tree will be on display until mid-January.

Quick Facts About the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Height: 74 feet
Weight: Approximately 11 tons
Age: About 70 years
Origin: West Stockbridge, Massachusetts (Southern Berkshires)
Lights: Over 50,000 multi-colored LED lights on approximately 5 miles of wire
Star: A three-dimensional Swarovski star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind in 2018, weighing about 900 pounds and featuring 70 spikes covered in 3 million crystals

Important Dates

Tree Arrival in NYC: November 9, 2024
Tree Lighting Ceremony: December 4, 2024
Tree Removal: Mid-January 2025

Visiting Hours

Daily Lighting: 5 am-midnight
Christmas Eve: Lit for 24 hours
New Year’s Eve: Lit from 5 am – 9 pm
Display Duration: Until mid-January

Native New Yorkers and tourists alike marvel at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree year after year. It’s an especially fun family outing during the holiday season.

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree has been around long enough to become a part of the city’s identity and has been a holiday tradition since 1931. Each year, a massive Norway spruce is chosen to be the star of the show, often measuring around 75 feet tall. It’s decorated with over 50,000 lights and topped with a stunning star, making it a fantastic sight to see in person year after year.

The actual tree lighting ceremony is a much-awaited annual event that draws huge crowds and is broadcast on NBC’s “Christmas at Rockefeller Center” hosted this year by Kelly Clarkson, who also hosted last year’s tree lighting. With the line-up of festive musical performances (yet to be announced), it’s a great way to kick off the holiday season, particularly for families. If you’re in the city, it’s a good excuse to bundle up and enjoy some time outdoors. The atmosphere is lively, it’s ideal for photo taking, and there are plenty of food vendors around, so there’s a lot to keep everyone entertained.

Psst… Check Out Things to Do This Weekend in NYC with Kids

Visiting the tree also gives you the chance to explore Rockefeller Center itself, which is home to some iconic attractions, including ice skating at the rink below the tree. It’s a classic and memorable winter experience that the kids will love. Plus, you can stroll around and check out the other holiday displays in the area, soak in the festive atmosphere, and maybe even enjoy some hot chocolate nearby to round out the night.

Though massive, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree is not just about the tree itself but the whole experience, from the dazzling lights and festive vibe to the busy crowds and that magical holiday feeling, making it a must-see for visitors from all over the world. Lucky for us, it’s right in our own backyard!

For more information, visit rockefellercenter.com.

Dance Workshop - NY

Nestled in the heart of the UES, Dance Workshop is a community-focused studio committed to dance education in a loving and safe environment. Dance Workshop offers Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre and Acro for ages 2+. They also offer a Pre-Professional Company track for dancers interested in taking their technique to the next level. Trial classes may be scheduled with the studio at the start of the season. Dance with Dance Workshop! MaryAnn Grasso founded Dance Workshop in 1979. Her daughter Nanci later joined her at the helm and in 2016 established Dance Workshop on the Upper East Side of NYC. MaryAnn and Nanci have devoted their lives to dance education, community and the development of children; raising dancers and sound human beings alike. Dance Workshop has seen thousands of dancers pass through the doors. They believe dance has the power to elevate and change lives!

Explore MetroWest Boston

<h1>Turn Whining into Winning in MetroWest Boston</h1> From beer gardens to corn mazes, state parks to beautiful art, MetroWest Boston is a great destination for a weekend trip! Enjoy <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/get-outside/?imgoing-place=hopkinton-state-park-61a91acef30b531a665ab64d">Hopkinton State Park</a>&rsquo;s gorgeous foliage while kayaking on the lake or hiking, mountain biking, or snowshoeing on the amazing trails. In the evening, catch a play, musical, concert, art exhibition, dance performance, or immersive theatrical event at <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=hopkinton-center-for-the-arts-63c03d7e0d792d753263b4d1">Hopkinton Center for the Arts</a>. Get a great night&rsquo;s sleep at one of the region&rsquo;s hotels, such as <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=the-verve-hotel-boston-natick-tapestry-collection-by-hilton-61aa4790f30b531a666119e4">The VERVE</a>, with its fun and funky pop art d&eacute;cor, or <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=aloft-framingham-6216279ccc891d1d0862c8c2">Aloft</a> with their pool tables and lobby games. In the morning, visit the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=danforth-art-school-61a8e11cf30b531a66592d90">Danforth Art Museum</a>, a jewel box housing 3,500+ artworks from three centuries, including groundbreaking sculptures depicting the African and African American experience by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller. Cross the street to the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=framingham-history-center-61a8e11cf30b531a66592d92">Framingham History Center</a> to explore their new multilingual exhibit that traces the city&rsquo;s immigration story, from those fleeing the 1690s Salem Witch trials, to the Irish and Italian influx in the 1800-1900s, to the current migration of Brazilians. &ldquo;Framingham&rsquo;s Collective Journeys&rdquo; includes oral histories, interactives, and artifacts. No visit to Framingham is complete without stopping at legendary <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/eat/?imgoing-place=jacks-abby-craft-lagers-61a8e11cf30b531a66592da0">Jack&rsquo;s Abby Craft Lagers</a>, one of 17 breweries in MetroWest, where you can enjoy a flight with a schnitzel sandwich or their famous Framinghamburger. Afterwards, spend a few hours at <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/activities/?imgoing-place=level99-64a8389c51f92a351a6a3f06">Level99</a> testing each other with 50+ mental and physical escape rooms and challenges. The next day, tour the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=longfellows-wayside-inn-61aa7aa3f30b531a66621f57">Wayside Inn</a>. The oldest inn in America&rsquo;s 100-acre property includes the Old Barn, now a farm stand with displays of antique farming tools, the historic Grist Mill, and beautiful grounds containing the Longfellow Memorial Garden, the Redstone Schoolhouse from the poem &ldquo;Mary Had a Little Lamb&rdquo;, the Martha-Mary Chapel, and Josephine's Pond for fishing. Stay for a delicious gourmet meal in their historic dining room. Spend the afternoon at the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=american-heritage-museum-61a92852f30b531a665b17bf">American Heritage Museum</a>. Start your tour in the depths of a WWI trench listening to a nurse&rsquo;s first-hand account from the Western Front while bombs explode above you and the floor begins to shake. This extraordinary museum features one-of-a-kind historic aircraft, tanks, cars and rare relics from the Revolutionary War to today, in immersive exhibits and living history events. Afterwards, wander the charming shops and boutiques of downtown Hudson. <h3>MetroWest Boston offers these and many other attractions, activities and events for the whole family!</h3>

Instituto Cervantes

Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.