Here's How to Watch the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting is one of many official kickoffs to the holiday [...]

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting is one of many official kickoffs to the holiday season, and this year's ceremony takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Christmas in New York City is a tradition for many, and part of that tradition includes crowding into Rockefeller Center to watch the massive tree be lit up during a star-studded evening hosted by Today show anchors Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin.

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The special will air on Dec. 4 from 8-10 p.m. ET on NBC and will feature the tree lighting as well as performances by Chicago, Brett Eldredge, Derek Hough and Julianne Hough, John Legend, Idina Menzel, Lea Michele, NE-YO, Gwen Stefani, Straight No Chaser, and Skylar Astin and Alex Newell from NBC's Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. There will also be appearances from Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin and the Radio City Rockettes. The actual lighting will take place at around 9 p.m. ET. If you aren't watching on television, you can catch the special online via NBC Live and the NBC App.

The Rockefeller Center tree is a 77-foot tall, 46-foot wide Norway Spruce from Village of Florida in Orange County, New York that will contain 50,000 multi-colored LED lights. It will be topped with a Swarovski crystal star and is 70-75 years old. This year's event will be the 87th annual holiday special.

"NBC is proud to be the home to the most iconic tree-lighting ceremony in the country," Doug Vaughan, Executive Vice President, Special Programs, NBC Entertainment, said in a statement via News Center Maine. "We are thrilled to have an incredible lineup of performers, along with our hosts, as we kick off the holiday season."

If you want to see the tree in person, it'll be open for visitors in Midtown Manhattan from 6 a.m. ET to midnight daily until Jan. 17, 2020 before being donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Photo Credit: Getty / NBC

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