For many Utah Valley families, Christmas includes at least one trip north to the Conference Center: the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, the Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concerts, the Savior of the World production and the Temple Square lights. Several of those need free tickets that go quickly, and the requests open earlier than people expect. This guide covers what each one is, when to ask, and what you can do with no ticket at all.
The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional
The devotional is held on a Sunday evening in early December, with messages from Church leaders and music from the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. It was December 7 in 2025 and December 8 in 2024, both at 6 p.m. Mountain time.
Whether you can attend in person changes from year to year:
- 2024: held live in the Conference Center, with free tickets requested online, up to six at a time, released in early November.
- 2025: not a live or ticketed event. It was prerecorded on the set of the Church's Savior of the World production and streamed on the Church's broadcast site, on BYUtv and on YouTube, and local areas could choose their own viewing times.
The Church announces each year's date and format in early November, so that is the time to check whether 2026 will be a ticketed evening in Salt Lake City or a broadcast to watch at home.
The Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concerts
The choir's Christmas concerts in the Conference Center are the hardest tickets of the season. In 2025 they ran December 11 to 13 at 8 p.m., with Broadway performers Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus as guest artists.
- The tickets: free but required, given out by random drawing, up to four per household.
- The window: in 2025 registration ran from October 28 to November 7 on the choir's website. If the pattern holds, the 2026 drawing will open in late October.
- The age limit: admission is for ages 8 and up.
- Without a ticket: a standby line forms in the Tabernacle on Temple Square 90 minutes before each concert.
The free option: Music and the Spoken Word
The choir's weekly broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word, is live every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Center, free and with no ticket. In December it carries Christmas music, and in 2025 a special performance on December 14 highlighted the Christmas concert music with the guest artist. For a family that did not win the drawing, it is the easiest way to hear the choir at Christmas.
Savior of the World
The Church's Christmas production, Savior of the World, runs in the Conference Center's Little Theater. In 2025 it played from November 20 to December 27, except Sundays and Mondays, with 2 p.m. matinees and 7:30 p.m. evening shows. Tickets were free but required and had all been given out before the run began; a standby line formed inside the Conference Center's plaza-level lobby.
Around the Conference Center
The Conference Center's plaza lobby displays Christmas artwork, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the 2025 season, and building tours continue except during events. Temple Square's concerts and lights fill the rest of the evening; for the lights, the crowds, Christkindlmarkt and how to get there, see Temple Square in December From Provo.
Getting there from Utah Valley
By car the Conference Center is about 45 miles and just under an hour from downtown Provo without traffic. By train, FrontRunner takes about an hour to Salt Lake Central, and TRAX continues toward Temple Square; FrontRunner does not run on Sundays, so the Sunday devotional and broadcast are car trips.
Practical notes
- Mark late October. The choir concert drawing opened October 28 in 2025.
- Watch early November. That is when the devotional's date and format are announced.
- Try the Sunday broadcast. It is free, and no ticket is needed.
- Drive on Sundays. FrontRunner does not run.
Related Guides
- Temple Square in December From Provo
- Light the World in Utah Valley
- Christmas in Salt Lake From Utah Valley
- Every Nutcracker on the Wasatch Front
- Nativity and Crèche Events in Utah Valley
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional?
Do I need tickets for the Christmas Devotional?
How do I get tickets to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert?
Is there a free Christmas event at the Conference Center without tickets?
How do I get to the Conference Center from Provo?
When do Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert ticket requests open?
What is Savior of the World?
When can I see the Christmas art at the Conference Center?
