It is the holiday season and many Utahans, as well as, many visitors to The Beehive State, are anxiously awaiting the turning on of the millions of Christmas lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City which officially signals the start of the Christmas season.
For the 2017 Christmas season, the lights will be turned on at dusk, the day after Thanksgiving, on Friday, 24 November 2017. Visitors are invited to come see the lights each evening from dusk until 10:00 pm MDT through New Year’s Eve.
Besides the lights, visitors of all ages are also encouraged to attend other Christmas and New Year’s performances and events, which are free unless stated otherwise. The Christmas concerts on Temple Square begin at noon on Saturday, 25 November 2017, and continue through Saturday, 23 December 2017. Performances are held throughout the day in the following locations: The Tabernacle, the Assembly Hall, the North Visitors’ Center, the Church History Museum, the Conference Center, the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and the lobby of the Church Office Building. Tickets are not required. View or download a detailed schedule of the free performances here.
The New Year’s Celebration on Temple Square will take place on Friday and Saturday, 29 and 30 December 2017. On Friday, from 7:00 pm MDT until 8:15 pm MDT, Kelly DeHaan and friends will be hosting a Family Night Sing-Along and program at the Assembly Hall. Joining the celebration and performing on Saturday evening from 6:00 pm MDT until 11:45 pm at the Tabernacle will be the Kenshin Tailo SLC Japanese Drummers, Best of Broadway, Marvin Goldstein and Vanessa Joy, Folk and Bluegrass, and BYU Vocal Point. Tickets are not required, and all performances are open to all ages. View or download a detailed schedule of the free performances here.
In addition to the concerts and lights, visitors to Temple Square also can enjoy free Tabernacle Choir broadcasts, organ recitals, guided tours, museum events, and Christmas films. For more information, refer to the PDF of the schedule or call 1-801-240-3323.
The Savior of the World musical drama, based on scriptural accounts of the birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, is presented at the Conference Center Theater (located in the northwest corner of the Conference Center), from 17 November through 30 December, on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and can be reserved at lds.org/events or by calling 1-801-570-0080.