NBCThe holiday season will officially get under way in New York City on Wednesday night as the world-famous Christmas tree is lighted at Rockefeller Center, accompanied by the sound of Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey and Tony Bennett.

NBC's annual special Christmas in Rockefeller Center, which starts at 8 p.m. ET nationwide and 7 p.m. ET in the New York area on Wednesday night, will feature those three performers, as well as Cee Lo Green, Il Volo, American Idol champ Scotty McCreery, country star Trace Adkins and others. 

There's a good chance that Stewart will croon "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," as his renditon of the holiday classic from his new album, Merry Christmas, Baby, recently topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary singles chart.

In addition, Bette Midler and Billy Crystal will be on hand to promote their new movie, Parental Guidance.

This is the 80th annual Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony. This year's massive Christmas tree, an 80-foot Norway Spruce from Mount Olive, New Jersey, will be illuminated with 30,000 LED lights and topped with a 550-pound Swarovski crystal star.

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