NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit up Wednesday marking the unofficial start of the holiday season. (WINS' special coverage begins after 5 p.m.)
After making its way from Queensbury, New York earlier this month, the 82-foot tall, 50-foot wide, 14-ton tree features more than 50,000 LED lights and a glistening star made of 3 million Swarovski crystals.
Donated by the Leibowitz family in Glen Falls, the tree lights will be on every day between 6 a.m. and midnight following Wednesday’s event. The tree will be lit for 24 hours on Christmas.
Once the tree is turned off in mid-January, it will be milled into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Where to Watch
Wednesday’s weather calls for rain and wind throughout the day with temperatures expected to fall quickly as the rain dies down so the best place to watch the event is probably at home or anywhere inside.
NBC 4 New York will be streaming the event beginning at 7 p.m. with a live, national coverage from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. It will also be available to watch on Peacock. The tree will be lit at 10 p.m.
For those willing to brace the weather and venture to view the tree lighting in preson, spectator entry points open at 4 p.m. on 5th Avenue at 48th Street and on 6th Avenue at 51st Street.
Street Closures
The NYPD has already closed 49th Street and 50th Street near Rockefeller Center. At 1 p.m., 48th Street and 51st Street will also be closed.
Vehicles will be blocked from 49th and 50th Streets near Rockefeller Center every day from 11 a.m. to midnight following the tree lighting.
On three Sundays in December, Fifth Avenue will be open to pedestrians only. The dates are Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.
What to Expect at the Tree Lighting Ceremony
Co-anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and “Access Hollywood’s” Mario Lopez will co-host the tree-lighting event.
A variety of big names are scheduled to perform at the ceremony including Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, Jimmie Allen, Andrea Bocelli with Matteo Bocelli and Virginia Bocell, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, Brett Eldredge, Mickey Guyton, Alicia Keys, The Muppets of Sesame Street, Dan + Shay, The Shindellas, Louis York and more!
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