The 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors aired on CBS on Sunday, December 22, 2024, from 8:30–11:00 p.m. ET and 8:00–10:30 p.m. PT. At the time, viewers could watch live through a local CBS station, a live-TV service carrying that station, or Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Paramount+ Essential offered on-demand access beginning the next day, but not a live stream under the December 2024 terms.
Important current update: As of August 10, 2026, the full 2024 special is not listed as available in the U.S. by JustWatch. Official Kennedy Center clips of individual performances remain available, but they are not a replacement for the complete broadcast.
When did the 2024 Kennedy Center Honors air?
The television special aired on Sunday, December 22, 2024, on CBS. The official schedule listed the broadcast as:
- 8:30–11:00 p.m. Eastern time
- 8:00–10:30 p.m. Pacific time
Viewers in the Central, Mountain and other time zones should have checked their local CBS listing, because local affiliates and scheduling practices can affect the listed start time. The broadcast was a two-and-a-half-hour television special.
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Some early announcements listed Monday, December 23 as the broadcast date. That was the initial schedule, not the final one. The later official CBS announcement and holiday programming schedule moved the broadcast to Sunday, December 22. The November 25 Paramount Press Express announcement is the controlling final schedule.
December 8 ceremony vs. December 22 broadcast
The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony was held and recorded at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, December 8, 2024. CBS broadcast an edited television special two weeks later. In other words, December 8 was the in-person gala and recording, while December 22 was the national television broadcast—not a live CBS broadcast from the ceremony.
This distinction matters if you are looking for a “live” event. The gala itself had already taken place when the CBS special aired. The Associated Press recap provides additional ceremony and tribute context.
Where could viewers watch it live in 2024?
| Viewer | Event-time viewing option | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Cable or satellite subscriber | The local CBS affiliate | Channel numbers and listings varied by market. |
| Viewer with an antenna | A local over-the-air CBS station | Dependent on location, antenna placement and signal strength. |
| Viewer wanting an online live stream | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME | The official instructions specified the live local CBS affiliate feed. |
| Cord-cutter without Paramount+ | A live-TV service carrying the local CBS station | Local CBS carriage was market-dependent. |
| Paramount+ Essential subscriber | Delayed on-demand viewing | Available beginning the day after the CBS broadcast under the 2024 terms; not a live-stream option. |
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
For the December 2024 broadcast, Paramount’s official announcement identified Paramount+ with SHOWTIME as the tier that supported live streaming. Viewers used the service’s local CBS affiliate feed and could also access the program on demand.
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The same announcement said Paramount+ Essential subscribers could watch the special on demand beginning the following day, but could not watch the CBS broadcast live. These were the plan rules and names communicated for the 2024 event. They should not be treated as a current description of Paramount+ plans, prices or availability, which can change.
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Contemporary viewing guides also named DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV as possible ways to receive CBS, provided the service carried the viewer’s local CBS affiliate. Those were event-time options, not a guarantee that every service still carries CBS in every market or that any of them currently offers the 2024 special on demand.
An antenna could provide a free way to watch if the viewer received a local CBS station over the air. “Free” in this context meant access to the local broadcast signal; it did not guarantee reception nationwide and did not include a separately available internet replay.
Can you stream the full 2024 special now?
Do not assume that the complete 2024 Kennedy Center Honors is still streaming. As of August 10, 2026, JustWatch’s U.S. listing reports the program as unavailable in the United States and indicates that its most recently tracked availability ended in January 2025. That is a date-stamped availability check, not a claim that the special can never return.
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- Search for the title on Paramount+ and CBS.com, but treat any old viewing guide or search result as historical unless the complete episode actually plays.
- Check the Kennedy Center’s official website and YouTube presence for individual performances and excerpts.
- Do not confuse a Paramount+ search result with the full special. A currently resolving Paramount+ page is a roughly two-minute CBS Mornings news clip about the 2024 ceremony, not a verified complete broadcast.
- Avoid relying on unofficial “full-show” uploads. They may be unauthorized, incomplete or removed without notice.
The official Kennedy Center YouTube channel still has useful excerpts, including Sturgill Simpson’s performance of “Ripple” and the Grateful Dead tribute finale, “Not Fade Away.” These clips document selected moments but are not a verified full-show replacement.
Who received the 2024 Kennedy Center Honors?
The complete class included five recipients:
- Francis Ford Coppola — the director and filmmaker.
- The Grateful Dead — Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir.
- Bonnie Raitt — the singer-songwriter, guitarist and blues-rock artist.
- Arturo Sandoval — the trumpeter, pianist and composer.
- The Apollo — the historic Harlem theater and cultural institution.
The Apollo made Kennedy Center Honors history as the first organization or venue to receive the award. The official honoree announcement is available through Paramount Press Express, and the Kennedy Center’s original announcement is available in its official press-release PDF.
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Phil Lesh’s representation at the ceremony
Phil Lesh was one of the four Grateful Dead members honored, but he died before the December 8 ceremony. His son, Grahame Lesh, represented him and participated in the Grateful Dead tribute. It is therefore inaccurate to describe all four honorees as present at the gala.
Who hosted the special?
Queen Latifah hosted the 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors. It was her first time hosting the event. She had previously been honored herself as a 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree. Her hosting role was confirmed in the official CBS announcement.
Grateful Dead tribute highlights
The special featured a series of tributes rather than a conventional Grateful Dead concert. The following are reported highlights, not a claim to be a complete production set list:
- Sturgill Simpson performed “Ripple,” with archival footage of Jerry Garcia incorporated into the presentation. Watch the official Kennedy Center “Ripple” clip.
- Maggie Rogers and Leon Bridges performed “Friend of the Devil.”
- The tribute concluded with “Not Fade Away,” featuring performers including Dave Matthews, Derek Trucks, Maggie Rogers, Leon Bridges and Susan Tedeschi. Watch the official “Not Fade Away” clip.
- Other reported selections included “Fire on the Mountain” and “Sugaree.”
The closing performance was especially significant because it brought several of the evening’s guest performers together with members and representatives of the honored band.
Bonnie Raitt tribute highlights
Bonnie Raitt’s segment drew on her blues, roots and singer-songwriter repertoire. Reported highlights included:
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- Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris performed “Angel from Montgomery.”
- Keb’ Mo’ and Susan Tedeschi performed “Walking Blues.”
- Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile performed “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
- Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow and Arnold McCuller performed “Nick of Time.”
Individual performance details and clips were also highlighted by Georgia Public Broadcasting and contemporary event coverage. Bonnie Raitt’s official site also directed viewers to CBS and Paramount+ after the original broadcast, but that 2024 notice should not be read as proof that those replay links remain active today.
What happened to the other honorees?
The CBS special honored more than the Grateful Dead and Bonnie Raitt. Francis Ford Coppola, Arturo Sandoval and The Apollo were part of the same 47th annual class. The available research confirms the recipients and the broad ceremony details, but the performance sources reviewed do not establish a complete, authoritative segment-by-segment list for every honoree. For that reason, it is better to identify the Grateful Dead and Bonnie Raitt numbers as verified highlights than to present an unverified full running order.
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| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Final CBS broadcast date | Sunday, December 22, 2024 |
| Eastern time | 8:30–11:00 p.m. |
| Pacific time | 8:00–10:30 p.m. |
| Where it aired | CBS through local affiliates |
| Live online option at the time | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME via the local CBS feed |
| Paramount+ Essential at the time | On demand beginning the following day; no live stream |
| In-person ceremony | December 8, 2024, at the Kennedy Center Opera House |
| U.S. availability checked | August 10, 2026; full special not listed by JustWatch |
Update note: Original broadcast information was checked against the December 2024 CBS and Kennedy Center releases. Streaming availability was checked on August 10, 2026, and may change if rights are renewed or a new distributor adds the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the 2024 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony broadcast live?
No. The ceremony was held and recorded at the Kennedy Center Opera House on December 8, 2024. CBS aired the resulting television special on December 22, 2024.
Why do some pages list December 23, 2024?
The initial July announcement listed December 23, but the later official CBS schedule changed the broadcast to Sunday, December 22. The later Paramount Press Express announcement and CBS holiday schedule reflect the final date.
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Could Paramount+ Essential subscribers watch the Honors live?
Not under the December 2024 terms. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME supported the live local CBS feed. Paramount+ Essential subscribers were told they could watch on demand beginning the day after the broadcast.
Can I watch the complete 2024 special now?
As of August 10, 2026, the full special is not listed as available in the U.S. by JustWatch. Search CBS.com and Paramount+ in case rights change, and check the Kennedy Center’s official YouTube clips for individual performances.
Was the special available outside the United States?
The official streaming information reviewed specified U.S. availability. The sources do not establish international streaming rights, so viewers outside the U.S. should check their local broadcaster or regional streaming services.
Were all four Grateful Dead members present at the ceremony?
No. Phil Lesh died before the December 8 ceremony. His son, Grahame Lesh, represented him and participated in the tribute. The four band members were nevertheless honored as the Grateful Dead.
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Bottom line: The 2024 Kennedy Center Honors aired on CBS on December 22, 2024, after the December 8 ceremony. At broadcast time, the live online route was Paramount+ with SHOWTIME through a local CBS feed, while Paramount+ Essential offered next-day on-demand access. As of August 10, 2026, the complete U.S. special is not listed by JustWatch, so the safest current option is to look for official Kennedy Center clips—especially the Grateful Dead performances of “Ripple” and “Not Fade Away”—rather than rely on an expired or unofficial full-show stream.
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