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Best Nutcracker Ballets in New York City to See with Kids 2025

The Yorkville Nutcracker stars talented local dancers in an NYC-centric version of the classic tale. Photos by Eduardo Patino
The Yorkville Nutcracker stars talented local dancers in an NYC-centric version of the classic tale. Photos by Eduardo Patino
11/13/25 - By Drew Kristofik

The Nutcracker ballet is a classic holiday experience for kids and parents, but there are now so many versions of The Nutcracker ballet in NYC a parent could go sugar-plum crazy trying to figure out which one is best for their family.

We've found a dozen variations of The Nutcracker ballet playing this season across all five NYC boroughs, from the New York City Ballet's classic iteration at Lincoln Center to a 92Y production complete with a fabulous, family-friendly after party. We've also found a preschool-friendly Nutcracker performance starring stunning marionettes, and three Nutcracker performances at Brookfield Place that are completely FREE.

Read on for our curated recommendations for the best Nutcracker ballets in NYC for families, and find more holiday must-do's and Christmas activities in our NYC Kids' Guide to the Holidays.

Click through to our listings for all the details, including addresses, times, and recommended ages, and bookmark our Family Activity Calendar for more must-see children's shows and holiday theater.

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The New York City Ballet's iteration of The Nutcracker ballet is a holiday bucket list activity in NYC. Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center
The New York City Ballet's iteration of The Nutcracker ballet is a holiday bucket list activity in NYC. Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center

Best 2025 Nutcracker Ballet Performances in NYC

The Nutcracker at Brookfield Place

Best FREE Production
Battery Park City – FREE
Saturday, November 22-Sunday, November 23, 2025
This free one-hour version of the beloved holiday ballet, performed to Tchaikovsky’s cherished score, is set Art Nouveau-style circa 1907 with innovative choreography by long-time New York Theatre Ballet choreographer Keith Michael. READ MORE

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center

Best Over-the-Top, Classic Production
Upper West Side
Friday, November 28, 2025-Sunday, January 4, 2026
The New York City Ballet's annual confection returns, complete with the famous one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet, an onstage snowstorm, and hundreds of elaborate costumes, including one for Mother Ginger that measures nine feet wide and weighs 85 pounds! READ MORE

The Steadfast Tin Soldier & Nutcracker Sweets at Puppetworks

Best for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Weekends from Saturday, November 29-Sunday, December 28, 2025
Also Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Puppetworks presents a double bill, featuring The Steadfast Tin Soldier, from Hans Christian Andersen, and Nutcracker Sweets with Tchaikovsky's music. Both are adapted for the marionette stage by Nicholas Coppola.  READ MORE

The Nutcracker at Ajkun Ballet Theatre

Best for a Post-Show Photo-Op
Midtown West
Weekends from Saturday, December 6-Sunday, December 21, 2025
Chiara Ajkun's version of The Nutcracker, performed by Ajkun Ballet Theatre, is perfect for children and adults alike and includes a complimentary photo with the cast.  READ MORE

The Brooklyn Nutcracker at City Tech

Best Bet in Brooklyn
Flatbush, Brooklyn
Weekends, Saturday, December 6-Sunday, December 14, 2025
The Brooklyn Nutcracker fuses ballet, hip-hop, and a variety of world dance genres to create a new holiday tradition. This performance transforms familiar Nutcracker characters and scenes to represent the diverse traditions and vibrant culture of melting pot Brooklyn. READ MORE

The Nutcracker at the Lehman Center

Best Bet in the Bronx
Kingsbridge Heights, the Bronx
Saturday, December 11-Sunday, December 14, 2025
The Westchester Ballet Company's production of The Nutcracker is a spectacular, enchanting, full-length presentation of the beloved holiday classic featuring a cast of 100 dancers.  READ MORE

The Yorkville Nutcracker at the Kaye Theater

Best Production set in the Big Apple
Upper East Side
Thursday, December 11-Sunday, December 14, 2025
This year marks the 27th anniversary of The Yorkville Nutcracker, set in 1895, which includes lavish sets and costumes and takes the audience on a tour through old New York's most beloved landmarks, including a holiday party at Gracie Mansion, dancing at the Crystal Palace in the New York Botanical Garden, and skating in Central Park. READ MORE

The Hard Nut by the Mark Morris Dance Group at BAM

Best Production for Teens
Downtown Brooklyn
Weekends from Thursday, December 11-Sunday, December 21, 2025
This modern reinterpretation of The Nutcracker by the Mark Morris Dance Group, based comic book art of Charles Burns, delivers a lavish, gender-bent version of a classic transplant's story, lasting from the straight-laced 1890s to the swinging 1970s. READ MORE

InsideOut Concert: The Nutcracker

Best for Appreciating the Classic Score
Midtown West
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Take a journey through Tchaikovsky's musical imagining of the land of sweets and experience some of the most beautiful and expressive music ever written from your seat inside the orchestra. READ MORE

The Bang Group’s Nut/Cracked at 92NY

Best Post-Show Party
Upper East Side
Saturday, December 13 and Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Choreographer David Parker's version of The Nutcracker blends tap, vaudeville, ballet, disco, contemporary dance, and genre-nonconforming glee. Nut/Cracked makes Tchaikovsky’s beloved score swing with unexpected arrangements by Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. READ MORE

The Nutcracker and a Visit to Santa's Toyland at LaGuardia PAC

Best in Production Queens
Long Island City, Queens
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Students from the Joffrey Ballet School’s Children's & Youth Ballet program perform the holiday favorite on the Mainstage of LaGuardia Performing Arts Center.The Nutcracker is followed by a meet and greet with cast members and a visit to Santa’s Toyland, where children can meet Santa and leave with a special gift from LPAC! No RSVP required, your Nutcracker ticket gets you in! READ MORE

The Nutcracker at the College of Staten Island

Best Production on Staten Island
Mid-Island, Staten Island
Saturday, December 20-Sunday, December 21, 2025
Staten Island Ballet's immersive production of The Nutcracker sells out annually. Staged at the College of Staten Island's Williamson Theater, it's a unique show that immerses audiences in the holiday spirit. READ MORE

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About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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