Holiday Performances in Central KY

Enjoy celebrating the holidays with special performances in Central KY. Theatre, ballet, music and more! You’ll find all the local performances here!

Lexington Children’s Theatre

Elf, Jr. The Musical
Sunday, December 1, 2024 – 2:00 pm
Saturday, December 7, 2024 – 2:00 pm
Saturday, December 7, 2024 – 7:00 pm (Pay What You Will)*
Sunday, December 8, 2024 – 2:00 pm
Step into a winter wonderland of laughter and cheer with Elf the Musical Jr.! This delightful musical follows the misadventures of Buddy the Elf, a lovably clueless human raised at the North Pole. When Buddy discovers he’s not an elf after all, he sets off to find his true identity in bustling New York City. But with a dad on the naughty list and a skeptical brother, can Buddy spread enough Christmas cheer to win them over? Get ready for a whirlwind of festive fun and heartwarming moments in this adaptation of the beloved holiday classic!

Special Elf, Jr. the Musical Preview at Joseph Beth Booksellers
Saturday, November 30, 2024
11 am
FREE
Join us for a live performance of Elf Jr. from Lexington Children’s Theatre. Optional RSVP online, but not required to attend the event

The Nutcracker

The Nutracker Ballet at Transy
Central Kentucky Dance Theater
November 23, 2024
2 pm
Join Central Kentucky Dance Theatre as they open the holiday season with a celebration of the holiday through the timeless story of ” The Nutcracker.” Join Clara through this magical adventure that will will warm your heart and fill your holiday season with joy.

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet at the Singletary Center
December 11, 2024 7 pm
The beloved family tradition is back: NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet! Gather your loved ones for the warm glow nostalgia of America’s favorite Christmas celebration. Experience the extraordinary international cast and Ukrainian Principal Artists performing at the peak of classical European Ballet. Be transported by the magic of jaw-dropping acrobatics, larger-than-life puppets, and stunning hand-crafted sets and costumes. Don’t miss this chance to experience the wonder of NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet.

The Lexington Ballet at The Lexington Opera House
Friday, December 13 & 20, 2024 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 14 & 21, 2024 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 15 & 22, 2024 2 pm
This holiday tradition is an enchanting production that will delight every member of the family! Join Marie on a magical journey with the Sugar Plum Fairy, waltzing flowers, the dancing snowflakes, and, of course, the Nutcracker Prince as they battle the Mouse Queen and travel to the Land of Sweets. With brand new choreography by Artistic Director, Eric Trope, and the Tschaikovsky score you know and love- this is one classic you don’t want to miss!

Kentucky Ballet Theatre
December 21 & 22, 2024 at Great Crossings High School in Georgetown, KY.
Kentucky Ballet Theatre is proud to present The Nutcracker at Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, KY. The Nutcracker, a magical Christmas ballet, is set to the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky. This holiday performance is complete with Drosselmeyer and Clara, along with a cast of snowflakes, mice, soldiers, angels, fairies, and of course the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.
You don’t want to miss this holiday tradition!

The Nutcracker on Ice
Watch for 2024 Info
Enjoy a performance of The Nutcracker ON ICE at the Lexington Ice Center. For more information contact the ticket office at 859-619-6228.

Bluegrass Youth Ballet – “The Nutcracker in One Act” at the Singletary Center
Friday, December 20, 2024 7 pm
Saturday, December 21, 2024 2 pm
resented in a single, family-friendly act, BYB’s version of The Nutcracker was created with younger audiences in mind, condensing the enchantment to one hour to keep the attention of younger children. Follow the adventures of Clara, a young girl that receives a beautiful Nutcracker on Christmas Eve. Delighted with the gift, Clara falls asleep holding her new toy until she’s suddenly awakened as a mouse steals her Nutcracker. Suddenly, her living room is magically transformed into a battlefield where the Nutcracker fights off the Rat Queen. The Snow Queen arrives and sweeps Clara and the Nutcracker through the Land of Snow to the Land of Sweets, where colorful visitors entertain them with dances from around the world. Clara’s mother finds her asleep on the couch where Clara has dreamt the fabulous story of The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker by Lexington Dance Factory at EKU Center for the Arts
Saturday, December 21, 2024
12 pm and 5:30 pm

Lexington Philharmonic

A Cathedral Christmas at The Cathedral of Christ the King
Friday, December 13, 2024 8 pm
Saturday, December 14, 2024 8 pm
LexPhil and The Lexington Singers return to the beautiful Cathedral of Christ the King for this holiday tradition in a program of timeless orchestral and choral works. This awe-inspiring musical experience in a divine setting will transport all to a place of peace that evokes the spirit of the holiday season.

Lexington Chamber Chorale

The Power of Singing: Festive Holidays
Sunday, December 1, 2024 5:00pm
Come welcome the holiday season as we perform new and familiar tunes celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Featuring an audience sing-along, this is the perfect concert to get your entire family in the holiday spirit. Our repertoire will include O Magnum Mysterium (O Great Mystery), The Twelve Days of Christmas and Still, Still, Still (Austrian carol). General admission $25, Students K – 12 FREE

COLLAGE: A Holiday Spectacular presented by UK Choirs at Singletary Center

Saturday, December 7, 2024 2 – 3:30pm
Saturday, December 7, 2024 7:30 – 9pm
Sunday, December 8, 2024 3 – 4:30pm

Rejoice in the holiday spirit with the annual Collage! Celebrated vocalists and musicians perform holiday favorites from close to home and around the globe. $44 Adults / $21 Students (additional online processing fees may apply)

Asbury Songs of the Seasons Christmas Concert

Friday, December 6, 2024 7:30 p.m.
Asbury’s Hughes Auditorium
FREE
The event will feature seasonal music blended with readings of poetry and prose inspired by Advent and Christmas.

“Songs of the Season is a wonderful gift to the community,” said Asbury University President Dr. Kevin Brown. “It fosters an atmosphere that is both worshipful and sacred — attributes that characterize the best of the Advent season and our hope and celebration of Jesus Christ as Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).”

Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Nathan Miller ’05 serves as the orchestra director and coordinator of the event. “This year’s concert will reflect on the mystery and majesty of the Messiah coming to earth as a humble baby in a manger,” Miller said. “This sense of humility and glory that come together in that moment have inspired artists, authors, and composers throughout the centuries. The orchestra and chorale will present selections from Handel’s Messiah, along with reflective pieces that help pull these ideas together.”

Two student soloists will be featured, Grace Chang ’25 and Donovan Chung ’26, both of whom won their respective categories this fall at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition for the state of Kentucky.