A previous year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting. This year’s lighting will take place on November 30th. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.
It’s that time of year again, the start of the holiday season in one of the best places to celebrate the holidays in the world: New York City. While there are countless ways to celebrate the holidays, CityLand is delighted to present our annual guide to some of the City’s seasonal highlights.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade will be held live on Thursday, November 24 from 9 AM to noon. The event will also be televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock. For more information about the parade route, click here.
The public inflation of the parade balloons will be held Wednesday, November 23 in front of the Museum of Natural History. Macy’s has not confirmed the time of the event, but last year’s event ran from 12 PM to 6 PM.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, November 30th. Viewers at home can watch the ceremony on NBC starting at 8 PM. After the 30th, the tree will be lit every day from 6 AM to 12 AM. On Christmas Day, the tree is lit for 24 hours and on New Year’s Eve the tree is lit until 9 PM.
Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Other Theater Performances
The Radio City Rockettes will return starting November 18 and will perform through January 2nd. Tickets are available here and for more information, click here.
The holiday season is a popular time to see a show on Broadway. For more information about what shows are available for the 2022 holiday season, click here. For information about off-Broadway shows, click here.
Ice skating is also available at the Rink at Rockefeller Center. For more information about tickets and pricing, click here.
Holiday Markets
Holiday markets are a wonderful chance for New Yorkers to try local food and engage with local businesses and artists.
The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park are currently open through January 2 from 11 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 8 PM on weekends. The Rink at the Bank of America Winter Village is the only free admission ice skating rink in New York City. The rink requires timed entry with reserved tickets in advance, but there is no cost for admission. Skate rentals and paid bag checks are available. The rink will be open through March 5. Le Carrousel is also available to ride from 11 AM to 8 PM. For more information about other activities at Bryant Park, click here.
The Union Square Holiday Market will be open from November 17 to December 24 from 11 AM to 8 PM on weekdays, Saturdays 10 AM to 8 PM and Sundays 11 AM to 7 PM.
The Columbus Circle Holiday Market will be open from November 29th through December 24th. The hours are Monday to Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM and Sundays from 11 AM to 7 PM.
This year, a new holiday market comes to Brooklyn with the Brooklyn Borough Hall Holiday Market. The new market will be open from November 28 to December 26 daily from 11 AM to 8 PM.
New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Holiday Train Show runs from November 19 to January 16 from 10 AM to 6 PM. In addition, the Botanical Garden’s outdoor holiday light experience NYBG GLOW returns for its third year. The NYBG GLOW experience will be available November 18-19, 23, 25-26, December 2-3, 9-11,. 15-17, 22-23, 26-30 and January 1, 7, 14.For more information and to get tickets, click here.
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights experience will be available on select dates from November through January. For more information, click here.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape returns this year, featuring a winding trail across the Garden featuring lighting displays, sculptures, color effects, water features and music. The experience runs from November 16 to January 8 with the exception of certain days. For more information, click here.
Menorah Lightings
Hanukkah begins the evening of Sunday, December 18 and runs through Monday, December 26.
Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah will be lit in Grand Army Plaza, with a kickoff concert on December 18 starting at 4 PM. For a further schedule, click here.
Details regarding the lighting schedule of the World’s Largest Menorah, which will be located in Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza, have yet to be announced at the time of this article’s publishing. Details will be added once available.
Museum Highlights
The Museum of the City of New York is featuring a new exhibit, Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off, in which select bakers from around the city created gingerbread displays to represent their neighborhoods. The exhibit runs through January 8. For more information and tickets, click here.
The Jewish Museum is hosting a family event, Hanukkah Art Mix, on Sunday December 18 from 11 AM to 3:30 PM. Learn more about the museum’s menorahs and make art, including collaborating on an “illuminated city” installation with The Giant Room, a creative hub for children. More information is available here.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum Kwanzaa Celebration: Kwanzaa starts on Monday, December 26 and ends on Sunday, January 1. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum will have its 15th annual Kwanzaa celebration from December 26-30 featuring music, art-making, food, dance demonstrations and spoken-word presentations. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Times Square New Years Eve
The Times Square New Years Eve 2023 celebration can be viewed in person at Times Square or at home on multiple TV stations and viewed online. Please check your local TV schedule for details.
The NYE Wishing Wall returns this year, where anyone can submit a wish, goal or dream for the upcoming year in person or online. Submitted wishes will be added to the confetti that drops in Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Wishes can be submitted online here and in person at TSq Plaza 46-47 on Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets. Wishes can also be shared over Twitter and Instagram using #ConfettiWish.
We at CityLand hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday season.
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)