Don't Wait on These: Holiday Tickets to Buy Now
The Wasatch Front's biggest Christmas shows fill up long before December. Here's what to book first, and the one free ticket you have to enter a drawing for.
Every December, the same thing happens. Families decide the week after Thanksgiving that this is the year they finally see The Nutcracker or go to the Choir's Christmas concert, and they find the good seats gone and the weekend shows thin.
The fix is simple: book in November. The eight holiday events below are the ones worth locking in now, either because they have a deadline, they play only once or twice, or their best dates go first. We've put them in order of how soon you need to act.
Act This Week
Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir
Why now: This is the one on the list you can't simply buy. Tickets are free, but demand runs far past the Conference Center's capacity, so the Choir hands them out by random drawing. The Choir's posted rules for 2026 open entries on Monday, Nov. 2, and close Sunday, Nov. 15, at 11:59 p.m. Miss that window and you're out.
- One entry per household. On the request form, check every night you could attend. It improves your odds without counting as extra entries.
- Winners are notified by email, so use an address you actually check.
- This year's guest artist hasn't been announced yet. The Choir typically names its guests in the fall.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
Why now: TSO's 30th anniversary tour gives Salt Lake City exactly two shows on one Tuesday, two days before Thanksgiving. Tickets have been on sale since mid-September, so if your family makes this a holiday kickoff, the time to grab seats together is now, not the week of.
Get tickets →The Big Holiday Shows
Ballet West's The Nutcracker
Why now: America's first Nutcracker runs nearly 30 performances, but the shows families want most, the weekend matinees and the days just before Christmas, are the ones that go first. Ballet West says its VIP tickets are in high demand. The season opens with five performances in Ogden over Thanksgiving weekend before moving to the Capitol Theatre on Dec. 4.
Get tickets →Hale Centre Theatre's A Christmas Carol
Why now: Hale's in-the-round Christmas Carol is a holiday tradition for a lot of Utah families, and even a month-long run still goes fast when everyone wants the same December weekends. Plan for the youngest kids: no children under 5 are admitted. The show also uses haze and smoke effects, and Hale will move you back from the front rows if you ask in advance.
Get tickets →Utah Symphony's Holiday Season
Why now: The symphony packs its holiday calendar into a handful of one- and two-night events, so there's little room to wait for a better date.
- Messiah Sing-In: Nov. 28 & 29, 7:30 p.m.
- The Holiday in Concert: Dec. 12, 7 p.m.
- A Cody Fry Christmas: Dec. 16, 7 p.m.
- Holiday Pops Extravaganza: Dec. 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m.
- Here Comes Santa Claus! (for families): Dec. 19, 11 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
- Disney's The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert: Dec. 22 & 23, 7 p.m.
GENTRI Christmas
Why now: The Utah-born trio squeezes its hometown Christmas shows into Thanksgiving weekend, with a limited number of VIP tickets for each performance. Two days is not a lot of runway.
Get tickets →The Lower Lights Christmas Concert
Why now: The Utah collective's Christmas shows have become a December ritual for a lot of local families, and three nights in one hall is the whole run. It's also one of the more affordable nights out on this list.
Get tickets →Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
Why now: Utah's biggest holiday light walk runs for two months, but you enter by time slot, every 15 minutes. The Friday and Saturday evening slots in December are the ones everybody wants. Pricing changes by date, and once a slot is sold out, exchanges aren't available.
Get tickets →Smart Holiday Ticket Tips
Buy from the official box office. Every link in this story goes to the venue or the show's own ticket seller. Resale sites often show higher prices, and some list seats before they really have them.
Weeknights and early-run dates are your friend. If December weekends are already tight, the first week of a run or a Tuesday or Wednesday show often has better seats for less.
Check the age rules. Some shows don't admit young children, so confirm before you buy for the whole family.
Looking for more? Our Utah Christmas & Holiday Events guide has the full list of light displays, concerts, Nutcrackers and Santa visits along the Wasatch Front, and we're adding to it as new events are announced.
- The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: Christmas concert page, ticket request page and 2026 official drawing rules
- TicketNews: Trans-Siberian Orchestra 30th anniversary tour announcement
- Ballet West: The Nutcracker event page
- Hale Centre Theatre and TheaterMania: A Christmas Carol 2026 listing
- Utah Symphony: holiday concert schedule; Salt Lake County Arts (ArtTix): Messiah Sing-In and GENTRI Christmas listings
- UtahPresents: The Lower Lights Christmas Concert listing
- Thanksgiving Point: Luminaria event page
How this story was made: Mountain & Main uses AI tools to assist with research and drafting. Every story is reviewed and edited by our editorial team, and all details come from the sources cited. Dates and prices can change, so confirm with each venue before you buy.
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