It's going to look a lot like Christmas very soon in Rockefeller Plaza.
The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was cut down Thursday morning ahead of its trip to midtown Manhattan.
Real estate company Tishman Speyer announced last week that the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be coming from Vestal, New York. The tree is an 80-year-old Norway Spruce. It's 80 feet tall and 43 feet wide, according to Rockefeller Center.
The 12-ton tree is set to arrive at Rockefeller Plaza early Saturday morning.
When is the Rockefeller Christmas tree arriving at the Plaza?
After the tree is cut down, it will journey approximately 200 miles to Rockefeller Plaza, where it will arrive Saturday morning.
The tree's arrival is expected to be a spectacle as always, and there will be family-fun activities for holiday lovers to enjoy on the South Plaza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to organizers. The Rock and Roll Playhouse will be performing kid-friendly holiday classics and there will also be storytimes with independent bookstore McNally Jackson.
Little ones will also have the opportunity to write letters to Santa, decorate their own ornaments, and even get their faces painted.
The festivities are free to the public but those who RSVP in advance will receive a free treat at check-in. Click here for more details.
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How will the tree be decorated?
After arriving on Center Plaza, more than 50,000 multi-colored LEDs will be strung over about 5 miles of wire to adorn the 2023 tree. It will then be crowned with a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star covered in 3 million crystals.
When is the tree lighting?
The tree lighting show is set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 29. You'll be able to watch NBC's "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" in a live broadcast on TV, on Peacock and wherever you stream NBC New York.
This year's show will be hosted by Kelly Clarkson. The Emmy and Grammy winner will pull double duty as a performer as well. She first performed at the special 20 years ago!
A special pre-show, "Countdown to Christmas in Rockefeller Center," will air on NBC New York's website, app, and on streaming platforms, including Peacock, Roku, and Samsung TV Plus.
