Music Center | L.A. County Holiday Celebration

Date

December 24, 2025, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Venue

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

On December 24, 2025, the 66^th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration will take place at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, offering Angelenos of all ages the opportunity to honor the dynamic, rich cultures of Los Angeles County and experience a spectacular live show like never before. Holiday Celebration performances bring holiday cheer to all who attend and into the homes and hearts of all who tune in! Enjoy a diverse lineup of L.A.-based performing arts groups presented with a fresh look and feel to welcome a new generation of audiences. See the L.A. County Holiday Celebration live at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, watch it on PBS SoCal or stream on pbssocal.org!

Applications Now Open!

Applications for the 66^th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration are now open! L.A. County artists in choral groups, dance troupes and music ensembles, as well as circus acts and theatre performers are highly encouraged to apply to be a part of L.A. County’s favorite holiday tradition! Local artists will get the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience and share their talents on a local television broadcast! Apply by Friday, July 18, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

Apply Now

Application FAQs

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at holidaycelebration@musiccenter.org

Performing arts groups from across Los Angeles County are invited to apply for the opportunity to perform in this iconic, county-wide celebration.

Applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements below:

Your group must be based in Los Angeles County and able to provide proof of residency/business operation.
Performances must fall into one (or more) of the following categories: music, dance, musical theatre, circus arts, or vocal arts.
All performances must be appropriate for all ages.
The group leader—the person who will serve as the main point of contact with The Music Center—must be 18 years or older.

All applications are evaluated based on two main criteria:

Artistic Excellence

As demonstrated in the work sample submitted with your application. Secular content is welcome, and performances do not need to reference Christmas or any specific holiday. We welcome diverse expressions of culture, community and joy.

Suitability for the Holiday Celebration

Performances should be:

A good fit for a multicultural, multi-denominational program
Scaled appropriately for a large stage and venue
Family-friendly and suitable for an all-ages audience

Important: Groups that have never performed in the Holiday Celebration are strongly encouraged to apply.

To be considered for the Holiday Celebration, applicants must complete all required fields and submit the materials listed below. Selections are made based solely on the submitted materials. No late or incomplete applications will be reviewed.

All materials must be submitted digitally through the application form. We do not accept hard copies, CDs or DVDs.

Work Sample (Video)

Your group’s performance video/work sample is the most important part of the application. We are looking for a clear, unedited recording of your group performing live.

Your work sample/video* must meet the following criteria:

Must submit one (1) unedited video only (no montages, cuts, or excerpts);
Video should be of a live performance (not a studio recording or music video);
Video must be no longer than three (3) minutes; and
Video must be recorded within the past three (3) years.

*The video’s technical quality/production (lighting, camera angle, etc.) is less important than your performance. We want to see your group’s energy, talent and style in action!

A video of the piece you'd like to perform at the Holiday Celebration is preferred, but is not required. Submit a sample that offers a sense of what you are proposing (if it’s different), and, most importantly, one that showcases your group at its best.

Group Photo

Please include one photo of your group that meets these requirements:

Taken within the past 12 months;
In focus and high-resolution (300dpi recommended); and
Is an original digital image (no screenshots, scanned prints, or video stills)

If you need technical assistance with your application, please contact SurveyMonkey Apply. If you have questions regarding the Holiday Celebration or any of the application requirements, please email holidaycelebration@musiccenter.org

No. We only accept completed online applications. Applications and supporting materials that are printed and mailed or submitted by any means other than through the online process will not be considered for the Holiday Celebration.

No. The L.A. County Holiday Celebration is a celebration of the artistic diversity of Los Angeles County. Given that geographical focus and the source of funding, groups that apply must be based in Los Angeles County.

Please visit L.A. County Registrar precinct maps or L.A. County District Locator to find out which county supervisorial district your group is based. Enter the address in the format required to locate your County Supervisorial District number. If you are unable to access the website, call (213) 972-3099. Please be sure to enter a street address and not a P.O. Box. We are unable to verify the district without a street address.

As a group, we also ask that you estimate the county supervisorial district in which the majority of your members reside and the county supervisorial district in which your group most often performs. If your group performs in more than one district of Los Angeles County, check mark each district in the application. A county district map is also available here: http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1043452_BasicColorMap.pdf

Yes, all participating groups receive honorariums. Honorariums will be determined upon selection and based upon factors including the group’s size and performance union affiliations (if any).

We do accept AFM Local 47 Musicians and members of 4-A (SAG-AFTRA, AEA, AGVA, AGMA). All union members are required to show proof of membership and complete agreements and financial documents that are separate from those of the group.

As this is a limited budget production, The Music Center approves only a limited number of union-affiliated members for this program. Please have a full understanding of how many union performers you might have for the performance when completing the application.

Possibly. Performers are required to furnish all necessary props pieces and costumes. Given the fast-moving nature of the Holiday Celebration as a live broadcast, we cannot allow any major scenic elements. The Music Center reserves the right to require alterations to props and costumes.

If you are the group leader for more than one artist group, you may submit up to two (2) unique applications. However, submitting multiple applications for the same group is not allowed.

Yes, if you are proposing a collaboration with another group, you need to submit one (1) joint application.

Friends and family are encouraged to reserve tickets ahead of time through a published reservation system that will be available in the fall and/or come early to enter the theatre through the general entrance line. Given the high demand for seating and the number of performers that are a part of the program, we cannot guarantee seating for artists’ guests. Tickets will be issued in advance to parents of performers under the age of 18 only.

Applications are due by July 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. We anticipate that all applicant groups will be notified of their application status via email in September. Selected applicants will submit a follow-up Artist Production Form that will be due approximately two weeks after notification. Performers will be asked to provide more detailed information at that time, including specific repertoire, composer and publishing information, costume information, lyric sheets, stage diagrams and approved union artist contact information.

Watch Last Year's Show

2024 Featured Performers

Check out the 28 featured performers in the 65^th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration!

History of the L.A. County Holiday Celebration

The annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration—presented by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors—provides Angelenos of all ages an opportunity to come together on December 24, and both experience and honor the dynamic, rich cultures of the county. Over the past 60 years, many diverse L.A.-based artists and community groups showcase their talent, artistry and traditions on The Music Center’s iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage. Founded in 1959 by the late Kenneth Hahn (supervisor of the Second District of Los Angeles County from 1952-1992)—who was an advocate for access to the arts—the free three-hour live production featured instrumental music, choral music and dance performances. In 2020, due to L.A. County's "Safer at Work and in the Community" order, the L.A. County Holiday Celebration was pre-recorded and aired on PBS SoCal and KCET and streamed on PBSSocal.org and KCET.org.

Prepare For Your Visit

Awards

The 63^rd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration was named the 2023 Silver Telly Winner in Television - Entertainment; the Gold Telly Winner in Television - Live Events; the Silver Telly Winner in Television - D&I; and the Bronze Telly Winner in People's Telly - Television Series/Shows/Segments.
The 62^nd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration was named winner of a 2022 Los Angeles Emmy Award for Live Special Events - Programming.
The 60^th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration was named the winner of a 2020 Los Angeles Emmy® Award for Live Special Events - Programming.
The 59^th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration was named the winner of a 2019 Gold Telly Award for Television Craft, Use of Live Video; a Silver Telly for Television Entertainment; and a Silver Telly for Television Craft/Directing.
The 58^th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration was named the winner of a 2018 Silver Telly Award for Television / Live Event and a Bronze Telly for Television / Craft Director.

Produced By

The L.A. County Holiday Celebration is produced by The Music Center and PBS SoCal.

A TMC Arts Program L.A. County Holiday Celebration