HOLIDAY SHOWS
So many options for festive family show outings. Plus our thorough guide to Nutcrackers for all to find a version of the beloved holiday ballet that's right for your family.
Short, sweet and interactive experiences to get wee ones in the holiday spirit. High quality and fun for older kids too.
These shows are splurges but so worth it. Best for kids who can sit sill and quiet for 2 hours (except Radio City, which is 90 minutes a bit more loud and forgiving of squirmers). Buy at the box office to avoid substantial online fees (and get seating advice).
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular
A truly spectacular show for all ages, even toddlers, with fabulous dancing by the talented Rockettes, dazzling costumes, special effects, camels, sheep and Santa Clause (many, many Santa Clauses in one of our favorite numbers). 🧚🏼♀️ ❄️ New this year, the Rockettes don wings to become frost fairies, with fun drones flying over the audience.…
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George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
Experience the lavish New York City Ballet Nutcracker that started it all in 1954, featuring exquisite costumes, magnificent sets and top-notch dance talent. See twirling snowflakes, leaping candy canes, waltzing flowers, and so much more to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score (played live by a full orchestra).
Pricey but priceless; wait until your kid is able to…
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Carnival of the Animals
This annual holiday show brings Camille Saint-Saëns’s beloved work to life with talented musicians and the poetry by Ogden Nash. Everyday objects take on new lives as lions, elephants, and birds, through the vision of director Lake Simons and some of New York’s best puppeteers. Clever and charming.
Also at 4 pm.
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Matt Heaton’s Holiday Hootenanny
Winter Wonder: A Festive Holiday Concert
Share the magic of the holidays with friends and family at the Young People’s Chorus of New York City’s very special Winter Wonder holiday concert. Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez and Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Núñez turn the spotlight on YPC’s award-winning choristers and two extraordinary guest artists: Metropolitan Opera star Nadine Sierra and the incredible dramatic baritone Lester…
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Jingle Fest
Join the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for a festive, family-friendly and free holiday concert and sing-along. Features BKCM faculty, students, and special guests.
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Sinterklass – Saint Nicholas Day
This annual celebration includes craft activities, tree lighting, and a visit from St. Nick.
St. Nicholas arrives on horseback around 2:30 pm to tell the traditional tale of The Bakers Dozen and invite children to sign the Red Book. Sip hot cider, try colonial games, create a holiday pomander, decorate a Dutch clog for Sinterklaas,…
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Rock And Roll Playhouse: Motown for Kids Holiday Celebration
Ring in the holidays with Motown songs in an interactive and educational live music experience for families in the super cool Brooklyn Bowl. Features the sounds of Diana, Stevie Gladys, the Temptations, and more. Loud and lots of dancing. Doors at 11:00. Stay and bowl for $25/half hour in high-tech lanes.
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The Nutcracker & Visit to Santa’s Toyland
A special one-hour Nutcracker designed specifically for school-aged students brings to life Clara’s holiday dream of a mighty battle between a Mouse King and a Nutcracker, a meeting with her very own Sugar Plum Fairy, and a journey to the “Land of Sweets”.
After the show, meet the cast and visit Santa in his…
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The Brooklyn Nutcracker
A culturally inclusive production of the beloved holiday ballet fuses ballet, hip-hop and a myriad of world dance genres to create a new tradition for today’s audience in a gorgeous landmark theater. From the landscape of the old Dutch Brooklyn to the iconic Flatbush Avenue, familiar Nutcracker characters and scenes transform to represent the diverse traditions…
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Nut/Cracked
The Bang Group’s beloved, witty response to The Nutcracker takes inspiration from all corners of the dance canon, from tap riffs to en pointe ballet, by way of bubble wrap, disco, and Chinese take-out noodles.
Choreographer David Parker finds beauty in the ridiculous, waltzing through many incarnations of Tchaikovsky’s score, including versions by Duke Ellington…
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Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker
See world class Russian artists, hand painted sets, Russian Snow Maidens, and jubilant Nesting Dolls in an opulent (but remote) theater. Features the “Dove of Peace” role, which is exclusive to the Moscow Ballet, and inspired by a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet.
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The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Virtuosic break dancing tells an uplifting, family-friendly story set in the 1980s and today. The music is still mostly Tchaikovsky’s classic score, though some songs are sonically updated with live electric violin.
This version of the Nutcracker is much louder than its traditional counterparts with a pre-show by hip-hop legend Kurtis Blow. For…
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Dances Patrelle’s The Yorkville Nutcracker
This annual production at Hunter College’s cozy Kaye Playhouse features dance students, ages 5 to 85, alongside professional artists. The lavish Olde New York settings give this production a more local vibe. Expect ice skating in Central Park, Teddy Roosevelt at Gracie Mansion and a sleigh-ride to the New York Botanical Garden.
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The Manhattan Ballet School’s The Nutcracker Suite
New York Theatre Ballet’s The Nutcracker
New York Theatre Ballet performs a kid-friendly, one-hour version of the Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday ballet set in Art Nouveau-style circa 1907 with innovative choreography by Keith Michael. Includes clockwork imps, an owl that flies above the audience, mice dressed in polka dots, and dancers dancing with huge chopsticks.
Also at 6 pm.
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