The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual event held each December in Washington, D.C., with the taped gala usually airing later in the month on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

2025 Date and Time

For 2025, the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 8, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The broadcast of the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors is set to air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Tuesday, December 23, at 8 p.m. ET.

How the Timing Usually Works

  • The live gala happens in early or mid-December in Washington, D.C.
  • A produced, edited broadcast airs later in December in a prime-time TV slot, currently on CBS, and on Paramount+ for streaming.

This pattern has been consistent in recent years, with the gala early in the month and the TV special a week or two before the end of December.

2025 Special Context

In 2025, President Donald Trump is not only attending but also hosting the Kennedy Center Honors, the first time a sitting president has taken on the host role rather than just appearing as a guest.

The 2025 honorees include Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, the rock band KISS, and actor-singer Michael Crawford, who are being recognized for their impact on American culture and the performing arts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.