On Sunday, November 15, The Riverside Church holds its Battle of the Organs at 3 p.m. Two hours later and eight blocks south, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine starts a free 45-minute organ recital at 5 p.m., right after its 4 p.m. Evensong. That makes two organ programs at the neighborhood's two big sanctuaries on the same afternoon.
The same thing happens a month later on a bigger scale. From Friday, December 11 through Sunday, December 13, the Cathedral's Christmas concert, Riverside's Nutcracker and Riverside's Candlelight Carol Festival all fall within three days. That overlap shapes the season. The holiday calendar in Morningside Heights bunches up on the dates the two institutions share, and the weeks between are calmer, cheaper and often free.
The weekend both naves picked
Here is how December 11 to 13 lines up, hour by hour, across Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street and Riverside Drive at 120th Street.
| Day | Cathedral of St. John the Divine | The Riverside Church |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Dec 11 | The Joy of Christmas: Gloria in Excelsis! at 7 p.m. | MCD's The Nutcracker! at 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, Dec 12 | The Joy of Christmas at 4 p.m. | The Nutcracker! at 2 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec 13 | The Nutcracker! at 1 p.m.; Candlelight Carol Festival at 4 p.m. |
On Friday the two programs start at the same hour, so you have to choose one. Saturday works as a double. The Nutcracker runs 90 minutes in The Riverside Theater, so the 2 p.m. show ends around 3:30, which leaves time to get to the Cathedral's 4 p.m. concert. Sunday all happens in one building. The 1 p.m. Nutcracker lets out at about 2:30, which is when doors open for Candlelight.
The two churches are offering very different evenings. At the Cathedral, the Cathedral Choirs and Orchestra perform holiday favorites, with carols for everyone to sing. The concerts also mark the 125th anniversary of the Cathedral Choristers. This year the Cathedral is putting on two performances. Tickets cost $125, $80 and $55, according to the Cathedral's fall and holiday programming announcement.
Riverside's Candlelight Carol Festival brings together the carillon, organ, harp and all of the church's choirs. It ends with candlelight passed through the Nave. A musical prelude starts at 3 p.m., and afterward there is a buffet dinner with beer and wine in Assembly Hall. MCD's The Nutcracker! is the least expensive in-person ticket of the weekend, at $33 for priority seating, $28 general admission and $25 for students and seniors.
The price of a seat, and the day it changes
Because the weekend is so full, ticket pricing and timing matter more than usual. One deadline is set: Riverside's Candlelight presale pricing ends Tuesday, December 1. Until then, the prices are:
- Concert only, adult: $45
- Concert only, senior or student: $35
- Livestream: $20
- Concert and dinner: $125
- Dinner only: $100
Riverside says these prices include fees, and children 1 and under are free if they sit on a lap. The livestream ticket costs less than half the adult seat. It makes sense if you would rather hear the choirs and still keep Sunday evening free.
For context, the Cathedral's Halloween Extravaganza sold out both performances, on October 23 and 24. That was a different event with a different crowd. Still, it shows that the Cathedral's best-known seasonal nights do fill up.
Riverside also says its 2026–27 music season programs can change, be postponed or be canceled, so check its pages again the week of any event you've planned around.
The quieter weeks, which are mostly free
Between the two crowded dates, the calendar gets easier. Many of the best events in these weeks cost nothing or only need an RSVP. Counting from publish day, Thursday, November 5:
- Thursday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.: Bach's Solo Dialogues at Miller Theatre.
- Monday, November 9, 6:30 p.m.: The Cathedral hosts the launch of One Single Act, the new book by the Very Rev. Winnie Varghese, Dean of the Cathedral. It's free with RSVP.
- Tuesday, November 10, 6 p.m.: A free Hub New Music pop-up at Miller Theatre.
- Friday, November 13, 7:30 p.m.: The Sixth Station Trio returns to the Cathedral to play music from the video game Genshin Impact. The trio made its New York City debut there last year.
- Saturday, November 14, 1 to 2 p.m.: NYC Parks runs a free "Outdoor Skills: Survival 101" session in Morningside Park, meeting at West 114th Street and Morningside Drive.
- Sundays, November 15 to 29, 5 p.m.: The Cathedral's free fall organ recitals follow 4 p.m. Evensong.
- Tuesday, November 17, 7 p.m.: Philippe Lefebvre gives an organ recital at Riverside Church.
The Cathedral's Día de Muertos ofrenda, designed by artist and designer Sebastián Gámez, is on view through Sunday, November 22. Running through all of these weeks is the Morningside Park Farmers Market at West 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue, open year-round on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Look at November 15 on that list. The free Cathedral recital falls on the same day as Riverside's Battle of the Organs. Even the low-key part of the season starts with the two naves on the same afternoon. After that Sunday the dates spread out, and Thanksgiving week has nothing on this list beyond the Sunday recital on November 29.
The first week of December, one room at a time
December starts with events that don't compete with each other. On Thursday, December 3, The Tallis Scholars perform Hail Mary at Miller Theatre at 7:30 p.m. The next morning, Crafts at the Cathedral opens for its 28th year. The Cathedral calls it the only juried fine crafts show in New York City, with artists from across the country selling ceramics, fine jewelry, home accents, pottery and other handmade work at a range of prices. The show is held in the Cathedral nave.
Hours are Friday, December 4, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 5, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, December 6, noon to 5 p.m. A weekend pass is $22. Single-day passes are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. The weekend pass costs only $7 more than one adult day, so it's worth it if you might come back, whether you're picking up a gift you thought about overnight or bringing a guest on Sunday afternoon.
The Friday hours also leave room in the evening. Doors stay open until 7 p.m., so you can stop by after work on a weeknight, a week before the Cathedral's own concert weekend fills the same nave with choirs.
After the crowded weekend
Once December 13 passes, the next big date at the Cathedral is Christmas Eve. Lessons and Carols starts with a musical prelude at 3:40 p.m. and the service at 4 p.m. It includes nine lessons, anthems from the Cathedral's choirs, and carols and hymns sung by everyone attending. No passes are required, and the Cathedral will livestream it on its website and YouTube channel.
For more on what's changing along the neighborhood's main streets this year, see our look at how Morningside Heights' Broadway storefronts are filling back in, and our Morningside Heights neighborhood page for a broader view of the blocks between the two naves.
At Rachel Realty NYC, we pay attention to how a neighborhood's calendar shapes its blocks, from crafts week at the Cathedral to the Sunday afternoon at Riverside Church when the Nutcracker crowd heads out as Candlelight doors open. If you'd like to talk about life between Amsterdam Avenue and Riverside Drive, we'd be glad to help. Schedule a Consultation whenever it suits you.
