Getty Workers secure crane cables as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrives at Rockefeller Plaza on November 14, 2020 in New York City.
Tonight is the night for the Rockefeller Center’s traditional Christmas tree lighting, and you won’t want to miss it in 2020. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, December 2, 2020 on NBC.
This year’s event will look a little bit different. The annual event, which typically draws crowds of people, will not be open to the public this year due to the coronavirus. But nothing will be held back in terms of entertainment. Some of the biggest names in music will be ringing in the holiday season at New York City’s iconic center.
The main event begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time and lasts until 10 p.m. on NBC. A special hour of performances will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting 2020 Will Be Closed to the Public & Air on NBC
Don’t forget to RSVP to my @pandoramusic Holiday Special! Join me and a few of my friends this Friday at 9PM ET for a night of holiday fun! #PandoraLIVE t.co/00CrWBaSmT
Unlike previous years, there will be no crowds flocking to see the 2020 Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting and the performers taking the stage. It will all air on NBC from the Rockefeller Center from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time, with a special hour of festivities at 7 p.m. Visitors will be permitted to see the tree after the lighting and throughout the holiday season, according to the Rockefeller Center.
If you’re just interested in seeing the lighting itself, the tree will be illuminated toward the end of the program. The lighting will occur at 9:45 p.m., the Rockefeller Center announced.
“To ensure a safe experience for everyone, visiting the plaza will be a bit different this year,” the Rockefeller Center reported. “There will be special tree viewing entrances and traffic patterns, tree viewing time limits, and masks and social distancing will be required at all times.”
There will be plenty of time to visit the Rockefeller Center and see the gigantic 75-foot, 2-ton tree. Visitors will be welcomed from December 3, 2020, until early January of 2021. More details to plan your visit and a map are available here.
“For more than eight decades, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has stood as a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike,” the Rockefeller Center wrote on its website. “While the lights, decorations, and stars have changed through the years, visiting the Tree remains a quintessential New York experience.”
The tree is a Norway Spruce that was delivered from Oneonta, New York. It is between 75 and 80 years old. It includes 50,000 multi-colored lights, which stretch out to five miles, and a massive star containing 3 million crystals.
The 2020 Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Lineup Includes Meghan Trainor, Dolly Parton & The Radio City Rockettes
You are here ❌. Our 2020 Holiday Map is here and is illustrated by our next Art In Focus artist and award-winning author, @OliverJeffers, in partnership with @ArtProductionNY. It’s available in our lobbies or see the map on display throughout the campus!
📸: Emma Rose Milligan
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting event includes a regular lineup with traditional acts like The Radio City Rockettes. This year is no different. The star-studded lineup also includes names like Dolly Parton, Gwen Stefani and Meghan Trainor, according to TODAY.
Here is the 2020 lineup:
Kelly Clarkson
Goo Goo Dolls
Earth, Wind & Fire
Jimmy Fallon
Brett Eldredge
Let the holiday season begin! The 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially arrived at the Plaza. 🎄
Tori Kelly
Leslie Odom Jr.
Dolly Parton
Pentatonix
Dan + Shay
Gwen Stefani
Meghan Trainor
Cast of the Tony-winning “Ain’t Too Proud”
The Radio City Rockettes
In addition, Clarkson and Eldredge are set to perform together as duet partners. Additional partners include Parton with Fallon and Trainor with Earth, Wind & Fire, TODAY reported.
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