Christmas Lights 2024-2025 in New York

New York is famous for its holiday light displays in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens. If you happen to be in the city during the holidays, you can choose large displays downtown or small and cozy in residential areas.

Bryant Park Winter Village (October 25, 2024–March 2, 2025)

The Winter Village at Bryant Park is a favorite spot for New-Yorkers and visitors during the holidays. A small Midtown park is transformed into bustling Manhattan with dozens of holiday shops. The Lodge by Urbanspace is the perfect place for people to take a break from the busy city life. Cozy igloos, with each session inside lasting 90 minutes, can fit up to eight people and are great spots to warm up and enjoy festive food.

The centerpiece of Winter Village is New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink, which enjoys beautiful illumination after dark. However, you need to bring your own skates to enjoy free admission and register beforehand, since the attraction is quite popular.

Schedule & Hours

The rink is open from 8 am until 10 pm with extended hours until midnight on weekends, holidays, and in December. The market operates from 11 am until 8 pm from Monday through Friday and from 10 am until 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. On January 5, 2025, the vendors are open until 4 pm. The Lodge is open from 10 am until 10 pm.

Dyker Heights Christmas Lights (November 29, 2024–January 5, 2025)

Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in Brooklyn is one of the most popular seasonal attractions in the neighborhood. The most breathtaking lights can be observed between 11th to 13th Avenues from 83rd to 86th St in Dyker Heights, from the weekend after Thanksgiving and up to first weekend of January. This area takes Christmas lights to a new level, gathering crowds of visitors from all over the city. Giant inflatable Santas, snowmen, and reindeer decorate almost every house, and Christmas carols can be heard from loudspeakers. The best time to see the lights is in December.

The area is so popular that local residents founded a company, which organizes tours to the best-decorated houses. Options include bus tours, walking tours, and even virtual online tours. Bus tours kick off at the New York Public Library at Bryant Park and last approximately four hours, while walking tours last just 90 minutes and begin at the intersection of 86th Street and 12th Avenue in Dyker Heights. A ticket to a bus tour costs $75, while a walking tour ticket costs $35.

Central Park Holiday Lighting (late November, 2024)

Another iconic place to check out during the holiday season is surely Central Park. Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, situated on the shore of Harlem Meer, welcomes everyone to the opening celebration, usually taking place at 5:30 pm on the last Thursday in November. The festive program features meetings with Santa, caroling on the Plaza, hot cocoa drinking, and seasonal activities. All is capped with the trees lighting on the Harlem Meer.

Broadway Under the Stars (November 21–December 19, 2024 (weekly)

Another great occasion to kick off the holiday season is the Broadway Under the Stars, with a breathtaking light display at Columbus Circle Shopping Mall. Normally every Thursday at 5 pm, the second floor hosts free performances from Broadway’s most popular shows. All this happens under the largest specialty-crafted colorful display in the world. The exhibit features twelve huge stars hanging from the ceiling of the Great Room. The show and wonderful view of Central Park make it a real urban oasis during the winter months. The event is held as part of the Columbus Circle's Holiday Under the Stars program, which spans from November 18 until January 5.

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lights (December 4, 2024–mid-January, 2025)

Amidst all holiday light displays across the Big Apple, the NYC central Christmas Tree is a cherry on top and a must-see attraction. The charming beauty arrives at Rockefeller Center in November or early December, a few weeks prior to the opening ceremony. The lighting show usually takes place on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving, and holiday illumination spreads cheer well through early January. The tree is adorned with almost 50,000 LED lights, beaming brightly with all kinds of colors. The lighting is on from 5 am until midnight daily and from 5 am until 9 pm on New Year's Eve.