Rockefeller Tree Lighting

The 2015 tree will be lit for the first time on Wednesday, December 2 at Rockefeller Plaza, between West 48th and 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Each year tens of thousands crowd the sidewalks for the event and hundreds of millions watch the live broadcast.

The tree is lit Daily 5:30am-Midnight. It will remain lit hrough 8pm on January 6.

Viewing tips: Be prepared for crowds — both on lighting day and throughout the month of December. The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is one of the top holiday sights in the city, and it receives anywhere from 350,000 to 750,000 visitors — a day. That said, there’s a lot of movement, so be patient in working your way to the front, and you will get your picture-perfect snap (or selfie). Weekdays are generally less crowded, and earlier in the day is better from a crowd perspective, but the sparkling lights will have less of an effect in daylight than at night. As you might expect, the more frigid the weather, the fewer the people who are willing to brave the chill. Above all, don’t drive — public transport is your friend. The B,D,F,V go to 47-50th St., the N,R to 49th St., the 1 to 50th St. and the 6 to 51st St.

The bonus: The tree may crown Rockefeller Center, but the surrounding plaza is equally colorful: Toy soldiers and angels brighten the walkways, holiday carols fill the air and Salvation Army volunteers jingle their bells. And, ice-skaters twirl on the famous rink, which is presided over by the gleaming, gold-leaf Prometheus statue. For a good overview of Rockefeller Center, check out a Rockefeller Center Tour. And of course, Rockefeller Center is where you will find Radio City Music Hall, home to the annual holiday extravaganza that is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Check out our holiday tour that we offer during the holiday season.

Fun facts: This year marks the 102nd anniversary of the first tree lighting, which took place during the Great Depression in 1933. The tree is usually a Norway spruce and can reach soaring heights of 100ft. Once the tree is in Rockefeller Center, it is decorated with 45,000 LED lights and topped by a 550-pound star designed by artist Michael Hammers in 2004.

Photo by Robyn Roth-Moise