Photos: NBCUniversal

It’s time to celebrate an iconic holiday tradition … lighting the giant Christmas tree in New York City’s Rockefeller Center for the season!  This is one of the most beloved moments of the year, and some of your favorite names in music will be there rockin’ around the Christmas tree for NBC’s 89th Annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special — airing tonight!

Viewers will be treated to festive performances by Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Mickey Guyton, Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, Rob Thomas, Carrie Underwood and more.  The evening will include a duet featuring Paisley and Thomas, and a special performance by the Radio City Rockettes.

Hosted by NBC’s “Today” anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker, “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” will air on Wednesday, December 1st from 8-10 p.m. ET/PT.

 

“After a year in which we weren’t able to have people join us in person, this tree-lighting ceremony will be incredibly monumental to those who can both attend and the millions of people who watch it across the country,” said Doug Vaughan, Executive Vice President, Special Programs, NBCU Television and Streaming. “It’s truly an event that continues to inspire and a wonderful way to begin the holiday season.”

The Radio City Rockettes // (Photo: NBCUniversal)

“Access Daily and Access Hollywood’s” Mario Lopez, along with NBC 4 New York’s Natalie Pasquarella and David Ushery, will host a special live additional hour prior to the primetime telecast, which will broadcast on all NBC Owned Television Stations and on numerous NBC affiliates from coast-to-coast, starting at 7 p.m. ET. Check local listings.

Except from NBCUniversal’s Press Release:

The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas tree dates back to 1931 during the Great Depression. The first official tree-lighting ceremony occurred two years later in 1933 in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building (the current Comcast Building). The Christmas tree gathering was enhanced in 1936 with the opening of the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice-skating rink. NBC-TV televised the tree lighting for the first time in 1951 on “The Kate Smith Show” and as part of the nationwide “Howdy Doody” television show from 1953-55.

The 89th annual holiday special will celebrate the lighting of a 79-foot tall, 46-foot wide Norway Spruce from Elkton, Md. The tree weighs approximately 12 tons, will be adorned with more than 50,000 multi-colored energy efficient LED lights and topped with a stunning Swarovski star.

NBCUniversal will continue its partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation for the 13th year in a row to support tree-planting efforts across the United States. This year NBCUniversal will plant 25,000 trees in areas that have been affected by wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters. The Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees, having helped to plant more than 400 million trees since it was founded almost 50 years ago.

Continuing a longstanding tradition, after the tree leaves Rockefeller Center it will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and milled into lumber that will be used for home building.

At key moments throughout the night, viewers will have the opportunity to donate to Red Nose Day in support of children and families who have been disproportionally impacted by the pandemic with worsened hunger, homelessness and learning loss. One in eight Americans, including one in six children, faced food insecurity this past year. Money raised during the broadcast will provide critical support to the children most affected by the crisis and the nonprofit partners serving them, including Feeding America, Save the Children, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children’s Health Fund, Covenant House and more. In seven years, Red Nose Day has raised more than $270 million to positively impact over 29 million children in America and around the world.

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Radio City Rockettes Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Radio City Rockettes Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Radio City Rockettes Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Pentatonix Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Brad Paisley and Rob Thomas Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Alessia Cara Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Mickey Guyton Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Harry Connick Jr. Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Carrie Underwood Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Carrie Underwood Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Norah Jones Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Broadway's Come From Away Photo: NBCUniversal

NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2021

Broadway's Come From Away Photo: NBCUniversal

Stay merry!