Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting 2026: date, crowds and viewing hours

Rockefeller Center had not announced the 2026 lighting date when this was written; its site says only to check back later in the year. The ceremony is traditionally held on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, which in 2026 would be December 2. Some ticket resellers already list that date, but treat it as a guess until Rockefeller Center and NBC confirm it.

The ceremony is free and there are no public tickets to the plaza; the viewing areas around Rockefeller Center are first come, first served. Rockefeller Center does sell VIP and photo packages.

Be realistic about it. In 2025, 46th to 52nd Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues were closed, along with Rockefeller Plaza and parts of Fifth and Sixth Avenues, from the afternoon into the evening, and people went through security checkpoints to reach the viewing areas. In past years umbrellas, backpacks, large bags, coolers and alcohol have been banned from them. Getting a view of the tree means arriving in the early afternoon and standing for hours, and many people end up watching performers on screens.

The ceremony is broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock. In 2025 NBC New York's local coverage started at 7pm and the national special at 8pm, with the lighting just before 10pm. For most people, watching the broadcast and visiting the tree on another day is the better plan.

After the lighting the tree is free to see every day until it comes down in January. In 2025 it was lit daily from 5am to midnight, with longer hours around Christmas and an earlier switch-off, at 9pm, on New Year's Eve. Expect similar hours in 2026 once they are announced.