You are currently viewing 20 Christmas Shows in NYC You Can’t Miss This Holiday SeasonPin

20 Christmas Shows in NYC You Can’t Miss This Holiday Season

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.

Radio City Music Hall Christmas TreePin

This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: November 2, 2023

20 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 17, 2023 to Jan 1, 2024
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

Rockettes Radio City Christmas Spectacular ( Rockettes NYC )+ What to do in NYC at Christmas / Christmas Time in New York | LocalAdventurer.comPin

2. A Christmas Carol the Musical

The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012, map

Dates: November 26 – December 30, 2023
Length: 60 minutes
Purchase Tickets

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 15th smash year, featuring updated, British pantomime-inspired scenic design, this holiday event is not to be missed!

3. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve →

UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003, map

Dates: December 20, 2023
Purchase Tickets

The Tran-Siberian Orchestra hit the road again in 2023 with the return of their beloved classic production, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve! Join them as they celebrate over two decades as the top purveyors of Christmas spectacle! Including Ghosts of Christmas Eve alongside some of their all-time greatest hits – discover what keeps audiences returning year after year!

4. Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas One and All! →

MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map

Dates: December 9 and 17, 2023
Purchase Tickets

It’s that time of year! On November 1, 1994, Mariah Carey changed the holidays as we know them by dropping the super festive anthem ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ from her iconic Merry Christmas album. 

Immediately racing to the top of music charts the world over, the bop has since become as standard every December as twinkle lights and candy canes, selling over 16 million copies. 

 Join the undisputed Queen of Christmas (sorry, Mrs Claus) for a very special tour, Merry Christmas One and All!

5. New York Pops – THe Best CHristmas of All with Norm Lewis

Isaac Stern Auditorium, 881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, map

Dates: December 22-23, 2023
Length: 60 minutes
Purchase Tickets

The New York Pops’ annual holiday tradition returns for a merry night of classic carols, contemporary favorites, and a few surprises with Broadway baritone and Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis.

6. Metropolitan Opera: Tannhauser →

The Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map

Dates: November 30 – December 23, 2023
Length: 4 hours 20 minutes with Two Intermissions
Purchase Tickets

Following his heroic performance as Siegfried in the Met’s 2019 Ring cycle, dashing Austrian tenor Andreas Schager returns as the knight Tannhäuser in Wagner’s ravishing opera of love, lust, and redemption. Soprano Elza van den Heever is the pure and virtuous princess Elisabeth, alongside mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as the tempting goddess of love, Venus. Maestro Donald Runnicles takes the podium for Otto Schenk’s classic production, which also features baritone Christian Gerhaher in his Met debut as Tannhäuser’s companion knight Wolfram and bass Georg Zeppenfeld as Landgraf Hermann.

7. The Magic Flute →

The Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map

Dates: December 8-30, 2023
Length: 102 minutes
Purchase Tickets

Composed by Mozart just before his death, this opera is brought to life in NYC through a mix of animation, dialogue, and singing. It’s a great introduction opera and it’s easy to follow the struggle between light and dark.

8. New York Philharmonic: Handel’s Messiah →

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map

Dates: December 12-16, 2023
Length: 2 hours 30 minutes with Intermission
Purchase Tickets

The NY Phil is joined by the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus, a stunning cast of soloists, and Baroque specialist Fabio Biondi as he conducts this holiday favorite — the Messiah of all Messiahs. Handel’s writing for the human voice reaches dizzying heights of expression, buoyed by iconic melodies from the Orchestra.

9. Z100’s Jingle Ball →

MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map

Dates: December 8, 2023
Purchase Tickets

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 Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj, Usher, Niall Horan, SZA and many, many more, this year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball looks set to be the best ever!

10. Brett Eldredge →

Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, map

Dates: December 8-9, 2023
Purchase Tickets

Multi-platinum-selling Country singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge is hitting the road once more this holiday season, bringing his Glow Live 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!

11. Martina McBride Christmas →

Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map

Dates: December 17, 2023
Purchase Tickets

Country songstress Martina McBride tours her latest album Everlasting. Nicknamed ‘The Celine Dion of Country Music’, McBride’s powerhouse voice and versatile soprano range bring a unique country edge to covers of Motown, Soul, and RnB classics including Jimmy Ruffin’s ‘What Becomes of the Brokenhearted’ and ‘Bring It On Home’ by Sam Cooke. Don’t miss her extra special Christmas tour this year, where she’ll be interpreting the season’s greatest songs in her inimitable style!

12. Il Divo – A New Day Holiday Tour →

Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map

Dates: December 5, 2023
Purchase Tickets

Operatic heartthrobs Il Divo return to North America this holiday season with their brand new tour, A New Day Holiday Tour! The quartet will perform tracks from their Christmas Collection, which is a compilation of holiday classics, giving fans an evening of Christmas cheer, delivered by their distinctive vocal talents!

Dance & Misc

13. New York City Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker →

David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map

Dates: November 24 – December 31, 2023
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.

14. FRANCIS Patrelle’s “The Yorkville Nutcracker”

The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College 695 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, map

Dates: December 14-17, 2023
Length: 120 minutes
Purchase Tickets

Francis Patrelle’s Holiday Classic, “The Yorkville Nutcracker,” returns for its 27th Season! Enjoy a magical tour of 1895 New York City with Dances Patrelle. Your journey begins with a Christmas Eve party at Gracie Mansion attended by dignitaries from around the world – including our new police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt. Thrill as you behold a battle with life-sized mice!

Then go for a bracing midnight skate on the ponds of Cental Park. Finally, take a sleigh-ride to the Grand Conservatory of the Bronx Botanical Gardens in time for a beautiful sunrise buffet of sweets, hosted by the Sugar-Plum Fairy.

New York City Ballet’s Miriam Miller and Tyler Angle lead the Dances Patrelle cast in this magical and whirlwind seasonal confection, with rich delights for ballet lovers of every age.

15. Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil →

The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College 695 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, map

Dates: December 7/28, 2023
Purchase Tickets

A thrilling interpretation of the well-known classic poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas”, this joyful show about the virtues of generosity and friendship promises to leave a lasting impression on families this holiday season. ‘Twas the Night Before…, Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever holiday production, is a whirlwind of love, holiday cheer, riotous fun, and adorably endearing characters that will establish a new tradition for families to treasure.

16. New York Theatre Balley: Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker

Florence Gould Hall, 55 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022, map

Dates: December 16-17, 2023
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.

New York Theatre Ballet: Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker NYC // Local AdventurerPin
photo: Julieta Cervantes

17. Company XIV: Nutcracker Rouge

Théâtre XIV, 383 Troutman St, Brooklyn, NY 11237, map

Dates: November 16, 2023 – January 27, 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.

Company XIV Nutcracker Rouge + Best Christmas Shows in NYCPin

18. Westchester Ballet: The Nutcracker

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, The Bronx, NY 10468, map

Dates: December 14-17, 2023
Purchase Tickets

A repertoire of the Westchester Ballet Company since 1950, this full-scale production is perfect for the whole family.

19. Cirque Dreams Holidaze →

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102, map

Dates: December 26, 2023
Length: 2 hours 20 minutes, one intermission
Purchase Tickets

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE dazzles with a brilliant and whimsical family holiday spectacular. This annual tradition wraps a Broadway-style production around an infusion of contemporary circus arts. As lights dim and the music swells, audiences will have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads as a fantastical cast of holiday storybook characters come to life.

20. The Hip Hop Nutcracker →

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102, map

Dates: December 23, 2023
Purchase Tickets

What do you get when you combine the elegant holiday score of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and a DJ with pin-sharp contemporary hip hop dance? This hit show mashes up two very American icons into a stunning production that has met with rave reviews since its 2014 Washington debut.

Moving the story action to New Year’s Eve, the mouse army is replaced with a mouse-ear wearing gang, a humble nut seller who saves the day, and the Land of the Sweets a nightclub trapped in 1985. Pirouhettes are replaced with floor windmills, making this a truly contemporary holiday treat.

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.

Best Places to Stay in NYC

Planning Checklist

Have you seen any of the Christmas shows in NYC?

Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later

Esther and JacobPin

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.

Follow on Instagram (E + J), YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.