New York City Ballet's Nutcracker Family Benefit

Each holiday season, New York City Ballet and The School of American Ballet present The Nutcracker Family Benefit, creating a magical place where families come together to celebrate the beauty and wonder of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™. A dash of fairy dust is sprinkled on the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center and the room is transformed into a festive wonderland for all to be captivated. After enjoying a matinee performance of The Nutcracker, more than 700 children and parents continue the celebration at a lively afternoon luncheon. Much to everyone’s delight, dancers from the production join the festivities signing autographs and posing for photographs, all while still dressed in their exquisite Nutcracker costumes. The afternoon also includes a very special visit from Santa. Proceeds from The Nutcracker Family Benefit are distributed equally to The School of American Ballet’s scholarship fund and New York City Ballet’s education program. Both initiatives help to enrich young students’ lives by extending arts opportunities to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to take advantage of these experiences.