Cue the applause—holiday shows are coming, and bringing your kids to experience the Nutcracker and holiday-themed shows is a joyful way to kick off the festive season. See the classic New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, enjoy The Muppet Christmas Carol In Concert with the New Jersey Symphony at The State Theater of New Jersey in New Brunswick, or get into the holiday spirit with Derek Hough-Dance For The Holidays at the Circus Maximus Theater at Caesar’s Atlantic City. Scroll down to buy your tickets now before they sell out for the most festive holiday shows this season. For more family-friendly performances all year, check out these performing arts centers in NJ. (featured photo credit: Mayo Performing Arts Center)
Where To Watch Holiday Performances And The Nutcracker In NJ
North Jersey Performing Arts Centers
Bergen Performing Arts Center
Bergen Performing Arts Center, aka bergenPAC, attracts over 150,000 theatergoers annually and offers concerts, stand-up comedy, dance performances, and family-friendly events.
Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular – November 16
A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage – November 30
Ezra Ray Hart: ’90s Hits & Xmas Riffs – December 3
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker – December 6-7
Showtime Kids: Frozen – December 8-15
Choir! Choir! Choir! – December 9
Engelbert Humperdinck “A Winter World Of Love” – December 10
Holiday Doo Wop – December 13
A Christmas Carol – December 14
The Maccabeats – December 18
Grand Kyiv Ballet’s Snow White – December 19
Old Crow Medicine Show’s Holiday Hootenanny Featuring Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – December 20
Darlene Love – Love For The Holidays – December 21
Event Calendar
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
Hackensack Performing Arts Center
The Hackensack Meridian Health Theater also nurtures new artists and professional theater companies.
The Christmas Caper – Dec 5, 6, 11 (Sensory Complaint Performance), 12, and 13
Event Calendar
102 State Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Paper Mill Playhouse
Considered a pre-Broadway venue in New Jersey, the Paper Mill Playhouse has performances for the whole family and classes, too.
Frozen – November 26 – January 11, select dates
Event Calendar
22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ 07041
Mayo Performing Arts Center
This nonprofit performing arts center in downtown Morristown offers shows featuring popular musical acts, dance troupes, family fun, and more.
Postmodern Jukebox: Magic, Moonlight & Mistletoe – November 5
Guest Attraction: A Drag Queen Christmas – November 16
Leslie Odom, Jr. The Christmas Tour – November 28
Champions of Magic Holiday Spectacular – November 30
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Creole Christmas – December 2
Peabo Bryson, Sheena Easton, Ruben Studdard and Ilya Serov starring in Home For The Holidays – December 3
LeAnn Rimes: Greatest Hits Christmas Tour – December 4
The Irish Tenors – December 5
Chris Isaak – December 6
A Magical Cirque Christmas – December 7
New Jersey Ballet’s The Nutcracker with New Jersey Symphony – December 12-27
Event Calendar
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Known for its art offerings in Newark, NJPAC has options for family outings and date nights.
Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas Starring Rick Schuler – November 30
Christmastime with Trisha Yearwood with a Symphony – December 5
New Jersey Symphony: Elf in Concert – December 6
A Chanticleer Christmas – December 6
Trisha Paytas: Trishmas Live – December 11
Nimbus Dance: Jersey Nutcracker – December 12-13
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and a Hilarious Live Conversation with Chevy Chase – December 18
Christmas With CeCe Winans Live In Concert – December 19-20
Blind Boys of Alabama: Christmas Show – December 21
Lucy Darling of the Holidays – December 27
Event Calendar
1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Nunnbetter Dance Theatre
Nunnbetter Dance School students and New York City ballet dancers come together every December to create a full-length adaptation of the Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker – December 19-21
Event Calendar
Montclair State University, 1 East Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043
The Growing Stage, The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey
The Growing Stage, the Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, is perfect for young audiences with kid-friendly shows featuring young casts.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – December 5-21
Event Calendar
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857
Union County Performing Arts Center, also known as UCPAC
With four performance spaces, the Union County Performing Arts Center includes children’s plays and live performances, musicals, film presentations, multicultural programs and events, and live concerts.
New Jersey Ballet: The Nutcracker – Sensory Friendly Performance – November 30
Happy Feet – Sensory Friendly Performance – December 5
Cherish The Ladies Celtic Christmas Concert – December 7
The Christmas Spider – December 14
The Muppet Christmas Carol in 35MM – December 18
The Polar Express – December 19
Event Calendar
360 Hamilton Street, Rahway, NJ 07065, and 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065
Central Jersey Performing Arts Centers
Algonquin Arts Theater
Visit this nonprofit performing arts center for theatre, music, dance, and film programs.
Swingin’ In A Winter Wonderland (Featuring Gimme Four) – November 23
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – December 6-14
It’s A Wonderful Life – December 16
John Denver Christmas featuring Chris Collins and Boulder Canyon – December 20
Have Yourself A Merry Little Big Band starring Zack Alexander – December 21
Event Calendar
60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, NJ 08736
Axelrod Performing Arts Center and Bell Theater
The theater showcases diverse cultural programs.
Hallelujah 2025 – November 15
A Very Bellworks Christmas – December 6
Home For The Holidays: The Future of Jazz Orchestra – December 7
A Carole King Christmas – December 12
Shadows of the 60s: A Holiday Tribute to Motown – December 13
Event Calendar
Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Avenue, Deal, NJ 07723
Bell Theater, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Count Basie Center of the Arts
This Jersey Shore theatre offers numerous performances throughout the year, educational and cultural partnerships, and a school with acting and vocal classes for all ages.
Miracle On 34th Street The Musical- November 21-23
Champions Of Magic: Holiday Spectacular – November 28
RAIN- A Beatles Christmas Celebration – December 1
Holiday Doo Wop – December 6
Elf In Concert – December 7
The Nutcracker – December 12-14
Holiday Express – December 16
Vienna Boys Choir – December 18
Darlene Love-Love For The Holidays – December 19
Brian Kirk & The Jirks: Santa For Lunch Break – December 20
Monmouth Civic Chorus: A Joyous Day – December 21
Christmas Carolmania! – December 23
Black Nativity – December 28
Event Calendar
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
McCarter Theatre Center
Located in the heart of Princeton’s Arts District, the McCarter Theatre offers a variety of programming for patrons, including new plays, a mix of performance art and cultural attractions, Nutcracker performances, and educational programs.
American Repertory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker – November 28-30
A Christmas Carol – December 9-28
Event Calendar
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
Spring Lake Theatre
Step back into a building from the 1920s to see local productions and musicals for the whole family.
Scrooge – December 4-21
Event Calendar
300 Madison Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ 07762
Strand Theater
Since 1922, The Strand has hosted a rich history of monumental performances.
A Doo Wop Christmas With The Doo Wop Project – December 6
The Wag’s 5th Annual Christmas Spectacular at The Strand Theater – December 13
Event Calendar
400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701
The State Theater of New Jersey
Located in Central New Jersey, this New Brunswick nonprofit theater, which has 1,811 seats, used to showcase silent films.
Elf The Musical – November 14-16
A Charlie Brown Christmas – November 29
Sarah Brightman: A Winter Symphony – November 30
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis – December 6
Engelbert Humperdinck “A Winter World of Love” – December 9
Kenny G: The Miracles Holidays And Hits Tour 2025 – December 11
Cirque Dreams Holidaze- December 12-13
The Nutcracker – December 18-21
Salute To Vienna New Year’s Concert – December 31
Event Calendar
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
The Vogel
Part of the Count Basie Center for the Arts campus, this venue was named after area philanthropists Anne and Sheldon Vogel in recognition of their support for the Center.
Rocky Mountain High Experience: John Denver Christmas – November 29
A Peter White Christmas – December 5
LaBamba’s Holiday Hurrah – December 6
The Sensational Soul Cruisers: Holiday Dance Party – December 13
Sal Valentinetti – December 14
David Benoit Christmas Tribute To Charlie Brown – December 16
The Weeklings And Friends: Holiday Hullabaloo – December 20
Chris Pinnella: Christmas In Red Bank – December 21
Event Calendar
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
South Jersey Performing Arts Centers
Borgata
A hotel, casino, and entertainment galore, see everything from comedy shows to concerts at this South Jersey venue.
Sarah Brightman: A Winter Symphony – November 28
Chris Isaak – November 29
Event Calendar
1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Broadway Theatre of Pitman
Since opening in 1926 as a vaudeville theater, this South Jersey entertainment spot has hosted shows, concerts, children’s theater, and summer camps.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – December 12-21
Home For The Holidays With The Calamari Sisters – December 26-28
Event Calendar
43 S. Broadway, Pitman, NJ 08071
Circus Maximus Theater at Caesar’s Atlantic City
Spend the dance in Atlantic City and take in a show at Caesar’s in Atlantic City—there’s no better combination of shore and shows in one location.
Atlantic City Ballet – It’s a Shore Holiday – December 4
The Michael Buble Experience: A Very Buble Christmas – December 12
Eric Benet Holiday Show – December 13
Atlantic City Ballet – The Nutcracker – December 14
Event Calendar
2100 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
This venue is the country’s original convention center, hosting events from galas to concerts to theatrical functions. It also houses the largest musical instrument on earth—its pipe organ.
9th Annual Deck The Halls – Festival Of Trees – December 4
Event Calendar
2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Levoy Theatre
A theatre that reaches out to children and the community to make the arts accessible to everyone.
Atlantic City Ballet Presents The Nutcracker – December 6
Shadows Of The ’60s – A Holiday Tribute To Motown – December 7
Rock This Town Orchestra Christmas Spectacular – December 11
Top Of The World – A Carpenter’s Christmas Show – December 13
The Polar Express Movie – December 14
An American Celtic Christmas – December 18
It’s A Wonderful Life Movie- December 21
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie– December 21
Event Calendar
126-130 N. High Street, Millville, NJ 08332
Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort
If you are looking for live music, entertainment, and a place to stay overnight, Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort has it all.
Macaulay Culkin & Home Alone – December 7
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland – December 14
Totally Tubular Festival – December 27
Event Calendar
500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Stafford Township Arts Center
The Stafford Township Arts Center holds various events throughout the year and can accommodate up to 800 guests.
It’s A Shore Holiday – November 30
Holiday Oldies – December 7
Shadows of The ’60s New Year’s Eve – December 31
Event Calendar
1000 McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin, NJ 08050
Surflight Theatre
This Jersey Shore theater, seating 450, offers Mainstage shows and Children’s Theatre.
Elf The Musical – November 29-December 21, select dates
NYE Bubbly Bash – The Music Of Billy Joel – December 31
Event Calendar
201 Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
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