See Dates for The Tabernacle Choir Christmas Special Broadcast on PBS and BYUtv

The Tabernacle Choir has announced the 2018 dates and times for the PBS and BYUtv December broadcast specials Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with featured guests Tony Award-winning singer and actress Sutton Foster and renowned actor Hugh Bonneville.

The program was recorded in 2017 over the course of three nights in front of a combined live audience of over 60,000 people in Salt Lake City’s Conference Center with The Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, and Bells on Temple Square. 

Since 2004, the Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir TV specials—recorded and broadcast one year later—have become a beloved PBS tradition. This will be the second year that BYUtv will co-present the program alongside WGBH, the largest creator of PBS content to TV and the web.

“This program is uniquely special thanks to Sutton’s immense vocal artistry and sparkling personality paired with Hugh’s charismatic delivery and stage presence,” said Mack Wilberg, music director of The Tabernacle Choir. To have both of them perform with us was really a dream come true and a great honor. For the past 15 years on PBS, the choir’s Christmas special has become a sought-after family tradition to enjoy during the Christmas season, and we’re thrilled that through our relationship with BYUtv and WGBH, we can share this remarkable gift with audiences around the world.”

2018 Christmas Special Broadcast Schedules

See airtimes for both the PBS and BYUtv TV specials on the choir’s website.

PBS 60-minute version: Monday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. mountain standard time (check local PBS listings for exact air times)

This annual Christmas special returns for the 15th consecutive year when it premieres on PBS stations. These specials have been the top-viewed holiday program on PBS for over a decade.

In Utah and parts of surrounding states the local PBS station KUED will be airing this 2018 broadcast at the following times (all times listed here and below are mountain standard time):

• Monday, December 17, at 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 19, at 1:00 a.m.
• Thursday, December 20, at 2:00 a.m. 
• Saturday, December 22, at 1:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, December 25, at 9:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 26, at 1:00 a.m.

BYUtv 90-minute version: Beginning Thursday, December 20

The full 90-minute program will be broadcast by BYUtv soon after its premiere showing on PBS stations around the country.

BYUtv broadcast times:

• Thursday, December 20, at 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. 
• Friday, December 21, at 12:30 a.m.
• Sunday, December 23, at 8:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 25, at 8:30 a.m.

The Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts have been a tradition that dates back decades.

Beginning in 2000, the annual concerts moved to the Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, where the Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square have hosted a diverse roster of world-class talent.

See the historical list of special guests who have participated in these wonderful concerts. Memorable CDs, DVDs, and books have been created from these programs to further share the magic of the concert.  

In addition to the airings on PBS and BYUtv, the Christmas special with Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville is available for purchase or download as a DVD or CD titled A Merry Little Christmas and an illustrated book titled It Is Well with My Soul.