Visiting NYC during the holidays? Check out these awesome Christmas shows!
With the holidays quickly approaching, the city transforms into a more magical place. Christmas markets open, sparkling lights cover the city (even more than usual), and decorations take over. The stages even transform as Christmas shows come for a limited time. Watching a broadway show is a great way to experience NYC, especially when the weather gets cold, so we’ve put together a guide specifically for the seasonal shows this Christmas.
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Last Updated: November 8, 2024
25 Christmas Shows in NYC to See This Season
We’ve organized the shows by grouping them into two groups. The first is musicals, plays, and concerts, and the second is dance & miscellaneous.
Musicals, Plays, and Concerts
1. Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes →
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020, map
Dates: Nov 8, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025
Length: 90 minutes
Purchase Tickets
The Radio City Rockettes have been a part of NYC since 1932. Every year, their Christmas Spectacular is one of the most popular shows and attractions in the city. Set in the iconic Radio City Music Hall, watch them sing and dance in perfect synchronization.
See More: 10+ Amazing Christmas Markets in NYC to Visit
2. A Christmas Carol the Musical
The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012, map
Dates: December 1-30, 2024
Length: 60 minutes
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Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale about the joy of community triumphing over selfishness, presented in this fresh musical adaptation by Sgouros & Bell. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge on his emotional journey as he is visited by four forewarning ghosts. Will Scrooge catch the holiday spirit and save himself in the process? Find out by joining us for this special holiday show with a story so warm it will melt the cold heart of even the grumpiest Scrooge! Now in its 16th smash year, featuring updated, British pantomime-inspired scenic design, this holiday event is not to be missed!
3. Mariah Carey: Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time →
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Belmont Park, NY 11003, map
Dates: December 15, 2024
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Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time is a 2024 holiday tour that will celebrate the 30th anniversary of her album Merry Christmas and the single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. The tour will f
4. Elf the Musical →
MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: November 9, 2024 – January 4, 2025
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Elf the Musical is a holiday-themed musical by Chad Beguelin, Matthew Sklar, Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan based on the hit 2003 comedy of the same name starring Will Ferrell.
Featuring original musical numbers like “World’s Greatest Dad,” “Nobody Cares About Santa” and “I’ll Believe in You,” Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human who accidentally crawled into Santa’s sack as a baby and was adopted by the elf community at the North Pole. Upon finding out his true parentage, Buddy embarks on a quest to find his birth father in New York City and get him off the naughty list for not believing in Santa.
The musical originally opened on Broadway for the 2010–2011 Christmas season and played again during the 2012–2013 holidays. The latest revival is set to open in November 2024 for a limited holiday engagement at the Marquis Theatre.
5. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Lost Christmas Eve →
Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St, Newark, NJ 07102, map
Dates: December 20
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The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is hitting the road once again in 2024, bringing their electrifying holiday rock opera to audiences across North America. To mark the 20th anniversary of their fourth studio album, The Lost Christmas Eve, the progressive metal group will perform 109 shows throughout November and December. Join them for a festive celebration that spans over two decades of Christmas magic! Along with The Lost Christmas Eve, fans can expect some of the band’s greatest hits, making it clear why audiences keep coming back year after year.
6. Annie →
The Theater at MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: December 4, 2024 – January 5, 2025
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Look Who’s Back! With Whoopi Goldberg as Miss Hannigan! Ever since her first introduction to America in a comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has captivated audiences with wit, pluck and eternal optimism. When she finally got her first musical in 1977, her place in our hearts was cemented. Full of modern classics such as the soaring ‘Tomorrow’ and the toiling ‘Hard Knock Life’, Annie is the first word in family entertainment. Don’t wait to in love with this spunky orphan all over again as she and her rag tag group of pals take to the stage in New York this holiday season!
7. The MET Opera: The Magic Flute →
The Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 12, 2024 – January 4, 2025
Length: 102 minutes
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Tony-winner and Oscar-nominee Julie Taymor brings this innovative and magical recreation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute to life – complete with dancing bears and giant flamingos! The production is sung in English and shortened to just 100 minutes to form an abridged version perfect for families and a much loved Metropolitan Opera tradition.
8. Elf in Concert →
David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 19-22, 2024
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Join your local orchestra for this glorious live-to-film concert of the beloved Christmas movie, bringing to life Buddy’s story in a presentation that’ll fill the whole family with holiday cheer!
9. New York Philharmonic – Holiday Brass →
David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 14-15, 2024
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Get into the holiday swing of things with the New York Philharmonic’s Brass and Percussion sections, a holiday tradition that began back in 1995! Together they’ll perform a delightfully festive two-hour program that’ll leave you humming Christmas carols well into the new year. This family-friendly concert is sure to put a jingle in your holiday step.
10. Jingle Ball →
MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: December 13, 2024
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It’s back! The biggest touring concert of the year has returned once again, stuffed with more pop talent than you can shake a sprig of holly at. Featuring appearances from Katy Perry, Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, The Kid Laroi and many, many more, this year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball looks set to be the best ever!
11. Charlie Brown Christmas →
Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center, 46 Washington Street, Carteret, NJ 07008, map
Dates: December 13, 2024
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Charlie and the gang are here to show you the true meaning of Christmas in this stage adaptation of the classic TV Special. Debuting in 2013, this theatrical production faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the comic strips and features the jazzy score from the TV show as well as a group of Christmas sing-a-longs at the end. A wonderful way to introduce younger children to the Peanuts gang, and to explore what Christmas is all about Christmas, beyond just the presents!
12. Pentatonix: Hallelujah! It’s a Christmas Tour →
MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: November 26, 2024
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Ring in the holiday season with three-time Grammy winners Pentatonix! The four-piece who found success through NBC’s The Sing-Off, have been at the forefront of the recent a capella revival. With record-breaking albums behind them, the kings and queen of acapella jingle across the country on their ‘Hallelujah! It’s a Christmas Tour!’.
13. Brett Eldredge →
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 12-14, 2024
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Multi-platinum-selling Country singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge is hitting the road once more this holiday season, bringing his GLOW: Welcome to the Family Tour to you! Named for his 2016 Christmas album, they’ll be festive fancies aplenty, alongside hits from 2021’s record – Mr. Christmas! There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit!
14. Fairytale of New York →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: November 30, 2024
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Fairytale of New York will take to the North American road in 2024 offering another opportunity to indulge in an all-out, all-Irish Christmas extravaganza! Expect to hear some of the season’s best-loved songs, including of course, the iconic Fairy Tale of New York, alongside some of the Emerald Isle’s biggest hits, such as Galway Girl, The Irish Rover, Wagon Wheel, Danny Boy, Dirty Old Town and many more.
Delivered with maximum joy in an all-singing all-laughing performance, Fairytale of New York captures the magic of a true Irish Christmas and will have you tapping your toes from the very first minute!
15. A Holiday Doo-Wop →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: November 9, 2024
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Take a musical trip down memory line and get into the holiday swing of things at the same time with the annual Holiday Doo-Wop Spectacular! Hosted by Brooklyn’s own WCBS 101.FM DJ Joe Causi and the frontman of Staten Island favorites The Elegants Vito Picone, this blue-eyed soul-filled evening is the perfect gift for those seeking to relive the rich vocal harmonies and vintage glamour of the Doo-Wop era of the 50s and 60s.
16. A Christmas Carol →
Mccarter Theatre Center, 91 University Pl, Princeton, NJ 08540, map
Dates: December 10-29, 2024
Purchase Tickets
An integral part of McCarter’s theater season every year, A Christmas Carol is the definitive holiday show for all the family. Based on the book by Charles Dickens, this celebration of humanity and openheartedness follows the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a cranky, penny-pinching businessman who’s taught the true meaning of Christmas by three spirits – the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future – who visit him on Christmas Eve.
Adapted and directed by Lauren Keating, McCarter’s A Christmas Carol is a re-imagined production, featuring exciting stage and costume design inspired by a deep dive into the source material. It will also feature members of the local community, acting alongside the professional cast, really giving the show an authentic feel.
17. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas →
Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Dr, Millburn, NJ 07041, map
Dates: November 27 – December 28, 2024
Purchase Tickets
A stage adaptation of the classic film, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas tells the story of two showbiz buddies, formerly old war comrades, who are tasked with staging a winter pageant in a picturesque but struggling Vermont inn owned by their old commanding officer – and find their perfect matches in the bargain. Will they be able to pull off the ultimate Christmas miracle and save the show? Well yeah, but in this case the fun is in following them on their marvellous, adventure-filled journey!
Dance & Misc
18. New York City Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker →
David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: November 29, 2024 – January 4, 2025
Length: 120 minutes
Purchase Tickets
This is one the most magical performances of the classic there is. 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 32 stagehands, and 50 students from the School of American Ballet bring this story to life. There’s even an onstage blizzard and a Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet.
19. Grand Kyiv Ballet: The Nutcracker →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: December 23, 2024
Purchase Tickets
The extremely talented dancers of Ukraine’s Grand Kyiv Ballet are back on the stage in North America, performing Tchaikovsky’s must-see holiday classic The Nutcracker! Originally written by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece score to the world-famous ballet received its debut over 130 years ago, in 1892. A truly timeless work, an evening spent at a performance of this enchanting show is the perfect way to welcome in Christmas with the whole family!
20. The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: November 17, 2024
Purchase Tickets
Christmas is truly the most magical time of the year, and the supernaturally gifted performers of The Illusionists are taking to the road once more this holiday season to prove just that! The Box Office record-breaking outfit of magicians presents a special family-friendly show packed to the rafters with mind-bending illusions, stunning feats of close-up magic and jaw-dropping escapes.
21. Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet →
United Palace, 4140 Broadway, New York, NY 10033, map
Dates: December 14-17, 2023
Purchase Tickets
Featuring spectacular sets and beautifully costumed dancers, the Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet is an annual treat for the whole family. Whimsical and imaginative storytelling blends with the richness of classical dance, dazzling costumes, soaring birds, giant puppets and a grand stage design to make this particular Nutcracker a unique holiday treat not to be missed!
22. New York Theatre Ballet: Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker
Florence Gould Hall, 55 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022, map
Dates: December 21-22, 2024
Length: 60 minutes
Purchase Tickets
Usher in the holiday spirit this December with New York Theatre Ballet’s beloved Once Upon a Ballet series. Perfect for audiences aged 3 and up, this one-hour program brings to life the timeless tale of The Nutcracker, featuring delightful choreography by Keith Michael. Don’t miss this magical and festive experience that will captivate audiences of all ages.
23. Company XIV: Nutcracker Rouge
Théâtre XIV, 383 Troutman St, Brooklyn, NY 11237, map
Dates: November 8,2024 – March 8, 2024
Length: 150 minutes
Purchase Tickets
Leave the kids at home if you’re headed to see this risqué version of the classic tale. The erotic reimagining of the story uses dance, circus performers, singers, and partial nudity to spice things up.
24. Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Paramount Theatre, 1300 Ocean Ave N, Asbury Park, NJ 07712, map
Dates: December 6, 2024
Length: 2 hours 20 minutes, one intermission
Purchase Tickets
A specially themed holiday show, Holidaze sees various Christmas ornaments magicked to life as the seasoned troupe of 30 performers from over 12 different countries combine their talents into 20 acts, transforming themselves into costumed characters and perform astonishing feats that celebrate the holiday season with spectacle, imagination and whimsical joy.
25. New Jersey Ballet: The Nutcracker
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102, map
Dates: December 1, 2024
Purchase Tickets
Now for five decades, New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker has been a cherished holiday tradition for many generations of families in NJ.
Essential Tips
- NYC gets extremely busy during the holidays so pick up tickets as soon as you know you want to go to one of these shows.
- Looking for other Broadway shows? Check out our post.
- Trains tend to run slow or late when the weather is bad. If it’s snowing, give yourself plenty of time to get to the venue.
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Planning Checklist
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Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
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