Bloomingdale’s Holiday Windows 2026: NYC Dates & Guide

A few avenues east of the Fifth Avenue crowds, Bloomingdale’s flagship on 59th Street puts on one of the most playful holiday shows in New York. Its windows are known for big pop-culture collaborations, from movie tie-ins to fashion partnerships that wrap the whole building in a festive design, and they’re often interactive, with buttons to press, selfies to take and surprises to discover. Inside, the store becomes a full holiday experience, with Santaland, pop-up shops and seasonal events.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the Bloomingdale’s holiday windows in 2026: when they’re unveiled, what to expect, past themes, Santaland, the best times to visit, and what’s nearby. For more displays across the city, see our guide to NYC holiday window displays.

Quick answer: Bloomingdale’s usually unveils its holiday windows at its 59th Street flagship in mid-November, often with a free evening celebration featuring live performances. The windows face Lexington Avenue, stay up until early January, and are free to see. The 2026 theme and unveiling date haven’t been announced yet.

Bloomingdale’s Windows: Quick Facts

In This Guide

• What Makes Bloomingdale’s Windows Different
• This Year’s Windows (2026)
• The Unveiling Celebration
• Past Themes
• Santaland and Holiday Fun Inside
• Best Times to Visit
• Getting There
• What to See Nearby
• Practical Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions

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What Makes Bloomingdale’s Windows Different

Bloomingdale’s has been a fixture on the Upper East Side since the 1880s, and its block-long flagship at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue is one of New York’s most famous stores. Its holiday windows stand out from the rest of the city’s displays in a few ways:

• Big collaborations. Bloomingdale’s often builds its holidays around a partner, such as a hit film, a Broadway show or a fashion house.
• Interactive features. Many windows invite you to play along, with buttons, selfie screens and hidden surprises.
• The whole building gets involved. In recent years, the store’s façade has been wrapped in themed designs, turning the entire block into part of the display.
• Fewer crowds. Because the store is east of Fifth Avenue, the sidewalk is usually much calmer than at Saks or Rockefeller Center.

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This Year’s Windows (2026)

Bloomingdale’s hasn’t announced its 2026 holiday theme or unveiling date yet. Based on recent years, expect:

• Announcement: The holiday campaign is usually revealed in late October or early November
• Unveiling: Mid-November, often with a free evening event on Lexington Avenue
• On view: Into the first week of January

We’ll update this section with the 2026 theme, unveiling date and a description of the windows as soon as Bloomingdale’s reveals them.

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The Unveiling Celebration

Bloomingdale’s turns its window reveal into a street party. In recent years, unveilings have featured live music and celebrity performances in front of the Lexington Avenue windows, followed by more entertainment, pop-ups and activities inside the store.

• 2025: The Happy Together windows launched with a live performance by singer RAYE.
• 2024: The Wicked windows were unveiled on November 13 at an evening hosted by Cynthia Erivo, with Broadway performers and an orchestra playing music from the film.

The unveiling is free to attend, but it draws a crowd. Arrive early if you want a spot near the windows.

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Past Themes

Every year brings a new collaboration. Here are some recent themes to give you a sense of what to expect.

2025: Happy Together, with Burberry

Designed with Burberry around tradition, warmth and holiday magic, the windows and façade wrapped the building in Burberry’s signature check, like a giant holiday scarf. The displays featured armored knights in Burberry scarves posed in medieval-inspired holiday scenes, and inside, Santaland was reimagined with Burberry bears.

2024: A Wicked Good Holiday

Timed to the release of the Wicked film, the windows brought the world of Oz to Lexington Avenue in pink and green. Inside, Santa’s area became an enchanted forest with a yellow brick road.

2018: The Grinch

Inspired by the animated film The Grinch, these interactive windows let passersby take a selfie that appeared beside the Grinch, press buttons to play sounds from his organ, and peer through a telescope at Whoville.

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Santaland and Holiday Fun Inside

Bloomingdale’s 59th Street flagship goes all out inside for the holidays, with themed experiences that change every year.

• Santaland: A family attraction where kids can visit Santa, redesigned each year to match the season’s theme. In 2025, it featured Burberry bears and interactive activities.
• Pop-up shops: Themed shops and brand activations, such as personalization stations, gift boutiques and seasonal collections.
• Café takeovers: The store’s cafés often get festive makeovers and special holiday menus.
• Charity partnerships: Bloomingdale’s typically supports a charity during the season. In 2025, it partnered with No Kid Hungry in November and the Child Mind Institute in December.

Details for 2026 will be announced with the holiday campaign.

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Best Times to Visit

• Weekday mornings: The quietest time to explore the interactive windows.
• Evenings: The windows and façade look their best after dark. Sunset in December is around 4:30 p.m.
• Any weekday: Bloomingdale’s is rarely as crowded as Fifth Avenue, so even December weekday evenings are manageable.
• Times to avoid: Unveiling night, unless you want to join the party, and weekend afternoons close to Christmas.

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Getting There

• Address: 1000 Third Avenue, filling the block between Third and Lexington Avenues and 59th and 60th Streets. The holiday windows face Lexington Avenue.
• Subway: Lexington Av/59 St (4, 5, 6, N, R, W) has an entrance right at the store.
• From Fifth Avenue: Bloomingdale’s is about a 10-minute walk east of Bergdorf Goodman, along 59th or 58th Street.

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What to See Nearby

• Bergdorf Goodman: About 10 minutes west, with some of the most artistic windows in the city. See our Bergdorf Goodman windows guide.
• The Plaza Hotel and Grand Army Plaza: At Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, where the world’s largest menorah is lit nightly during Hanukkah (December 4 to 12, 2026).
• Wollman Rink: A short walk into Central Park for skating with skyline views. See our Wollman Rink guide.
• Roosevelt Island Tramway: Two blocks east at Second Avenue and 59th Street. The short ride over the East River offers some of the best views of Midtown, especially at sunset.
• Saks Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center: About a 20-minute walk southwest. See our Saks light show guide.

Make it a walk: Bloomingdale’s makes a great final stop on a holiday windows walk. Start at Macy’s or Rockefeller Center, head north on Fifth Avenue to Bergdorf Goodman, then walk east to Bloomingdale’s. See the full route in our guide to NYC holiday window displays.

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Practical Tips

• Try the interactive features. If there are buttons, screens or peepholes, give them a go. They’re part of the fun, especially for kids.
• Walk the whole block. The display often continues around the building, so look beyond the main Lexington Avenue windows.
• Warm up inside. The store has cafés and restrooms, which are useful on a cold evening.
• Avoid glare in photos. Hold your phone close to the glass and angle it slightly to cut reflections.
• Check the event calendar. Bloomingdale’s often hosts in-store holiday events and pop-ups on select dates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When are the Bloomingdale’s holiday windows unveiled in 2026?

Bloomingdale’s hasn’t announced its 2026 date yet. The windows are usually unveiled in mid-November; the 2024 windows were revealed on November 13.

What is the theme of the 2026 Bloomingdale’s holiday windows?

The 2026 theme will be announced with Bloomingdale’s holiday campaign. In 2025, the theme was Happy Together, designed with Burberry.

Where are the Bloomingdale’s holiday windows?

The windows are at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street flagship, 1000 Third Avenue, facing Lexington Avenue between 59th and 60th Streets.

How long are the Bloomingdale’s windows up?

The windows usually stay up from their unveiling in mid-November until the first week of January.

Are the Bloomingdale’s holiday windows free?

Yes. The windows are free to see from the sidewalk, and the unveiling celebration is free to attend.

Does Bloomingdale’s have a Santa?

Yes. Bloomingdale’s 59th Street flagship has a Santaland during the holiday season, redesigned each year to match its holiday theme.

Is Bloomingdale’s worth visiting for the holiday windows?

Yes, especially if you like playful, interactive displays and want to avoid the Fifth Avenue crowds. It’s an easy add-on to a visit to Bergdorf Goodman and Central Park.

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We update this guide as soon as Bloomingdale’s reveals its 2026 holiday windows.