For the 86th time, the famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree will light up NYC. Whether you’re planning on staying home or braving the cold on November 28, you won’t want to miss the Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018.
The 72-foot-tall Norway spruce will get set ablaze with over 50,000 multi-colored LED bulbs on wire spanning approximately five miles. The tree topper is a new Swarovski star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind.
The Norway spruce arrived at Rockefeller Plaza on November 10 and was donated by Wallkill, New York’s Shirley Figueroa and Lissette Gutierrez.
“After we bought the house, the previous owner told us, ‘Hey, by the way, the tree in the yard? Rockefeller Center has been scouting it,'” Figueroa told NBC New York. “I didn’t believe it. Until they came knocking on the door.”
Figueroa and Gutierrez gave it a name: Shelby.
After Wednesday’s Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018, the spruce will remain lit every day from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. through January 6, 2019.
Christmas Day, it twinkles for a “full 24 hours,” assures the Rockefeller Center blog.
Then, after 9:00 p.m. on January 7, Shelby will bid us adieu.
Going to the ceremony, which includes performances from stars like John Legend and Diana Ross, is free. Access is first come, first served, and the festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Click through to Metro’s guide on all things Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018. For street closures, click here.
How to watch the Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018: Cable
The annual lighting ceremony was televised for the first time in 1951.
This year, you can watch it on TV via NBC from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET. According to a news release, there will be an additional live hour broadcast on select NBC stations between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. Check your local listings.
Stations airing the regional live hour include the following, per NBC:
WBGH (Binghamton, N.Y.), WYNC (Boston, Mass. – satellite of WBTS), WBTS (Boston, Mass.), WCBD (Charleston, S.C.), WVIR (Charlottesville, Va.), WETM (Elmira, N.Y.), WNBW (Gainesville, Fla.), WVIT (Hartford, Conn.), WTLV (Jacksonville, Fla.), WGAL (Lancaster, Pa.), WTVJ (Miami, Fla.), WNBC (New York, N.Y.), WKTD (Norfolk, Va.), WAVY (Norfolk, Va.), WPTV (Palm Beach, Fla.), WCAU (Philadelphia, Pa.), WRAL (Raleigh-Durham, N.C.), WRC (Washington, D.C. – jip at 7:30pm), WRDE (Salisbury, Md.), WTWC (Tallahassee, Fla.), WKTV (Utica, N.Y.), WVNC (Watertown, N.Y.), WTOV (Wheeling, W.V.)
How to stream the Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018
You can stream the event live with your TV provider on NBC New York’s website or through the NBC app.
Streaming services such as Hulu Live TV and FuboTV include NBC in their packages. You can also stream NBC on Sling Blue in select markets.
The 5th Avenue Cam will potentially showcase live footage of the ceremony as well.
For those watching the Rockefeller Tree Lighting 2018, the spruce won’t actually light up until around 9:30 p.m. (at approximately 9:33, according to a media handout).
Follow Rockefeller Center’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for more coverage.
Do your thing, Shelby. We can’t wait to finally see you sparkle.
