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Fifth Avenue will sparkle again this holiday season. After pulling the plug in 2024 for the first time in two decades, Saks Fifth Avenue has confirmed it’s reviving its world-famous holiday light show this November, restoring one of New York’s most beloved free spectacles just in time for Christmas.
The comeback was announced by Saks global president and chief commercial officer Emily Essner, who told reporters that the pause was purely a cost-cutting measure during a financially rocky year. With the retailer now on firmer ground, the nightly extravaganza will once again transform the flagship at 611 Fifth Avenue into a choreographed wall of lights, sound and seasonal cheer.
For the uninitiated, the show projects thousands of synchronized lights across the building’s façade in time with festive music, repeating every few minutes from early evening until 11 pm. The entire production is staged directly across from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, creating a Midtown mash-up of holiday traditions that draw both locals and tourists in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.
While exact dates haven’t been published yet, Saks typically unveils its windows and kicks off the show with a star-studded ceremony in late November. Past years have included fireworks, live performances and even Elton John on opening night. The light show then runs nightly into early January, with brief pauses on Christmas Eve and the evening of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting.
Even in 2024, when the show went dark, Saks kept its famed holiday windows alive, proving that Fifth Avenue’s appetite for sparkle is insatiable. This year, both traditions will once again run in tandem: the elaborate, themed windows at street level and the music-driven light spectacle soaring above. Together, they create one of Manhattan’s most photographed holiday moments.
Tips from veterans? Get there early if you want a prime view from the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center, where the angels perfectly frame the Saks façade. Or sneak over to the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a less claustrophobic diagonal angle. Either way, you won’t need a ticket—it’s free, fabulous and a reminder that not every bit of New York holiday magic requires a credit card swipe.
Dust off your puffer, charge your phone and brace yourself for the crowds: Saks is back, and Fifth Avenue will shine brighter for it.