If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission.
‘Tis officially the season. And with the holiday season, comes the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
The 89th annual lighting ceremony is tonight (Dec. 1), open to the public a year after the 2020 ceremony was closed to the public for COVID-19 safety reasons. With 50,000 multi-colored lights on the 79-foot tree, a Swarovski star on top and a bunch of star-studded performances, the jolly tradition is a can’t miss event.
The tree lighting ceremony will be hosted by Today‘s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and Al Roker.
If you want to join in on the festive fun (from the comfort of your own home, not the Big Apple), we’ve compiled everything you need to know to watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony online and on TV.
When is the 2021 Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony? Date, Air Time, Channel
The ceremony will air on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. If you have cable (or a digital TV antenna like this one from Amazon), you can watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony on TV through your local NBC affiliate.
Don’t change the channel after the ceremony. Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around starts on NBC at 10 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CT, right after the 89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center.
Clarkson will be joined by Brett Eldredge, Ariana Grande, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr. and Amy Poehler to celebrate the holiday season.
How to Watch the 2021 Rockefeller Tree Lighting Ceremony Online
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting will be available to stream online on Peacock, which you can sign up for here. While Peacock offers a free tier with no subscription required, the free tier will only get you a limited amount of content. You can also watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting online free via Peacock Premium, which offers a 7-day free trial here.
For those without cable, signing up for free trials of fuboTV or SlingTV will give you access to ABC as well, as both services include NBC, to let you watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting live on TV or stream it from your laptop, tablet or phone.
Who is Performing at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting?
The performers set to take the stage include Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Mickey Guyton, Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, Rob Thomas, Carrie Underwood, José Feliciano with CNCO, Pentatonix, the cast of Broadway’s Come From Away and the Radio City Rockettes.
