Saturday Night Live (SNL) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a week-long celebration in Midtown Manhattan. The festivities kicked off on Friday with a stock market bell-ringing ceremony and setup for Sunday’s massive red carpet event.
The area around Rockefeller Plaza, including the iconic NBC headquarters at 30 Rock’s Studio 8-H, has been transformed into a major event zone. Banners reading “SNL 50” adorn neighboring buildings, while streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues are blocked to vehicle traffic. The police presence is extensive, rivaling that of the annual holiday tree lighting ceremony.
Friday night’s celebration continued at Radio City Music Hall with a three-hour concert featuring 20 big-name acts, which will be streamed live on Peacock and shown in select movie theaters nationwide. Current cast member Chloe Fineman was joined by former cast members Taran Killam, Jay Pharoah, Alex Moffat, and Garrett Morris for the event.
The group also met with NBCUniversal executives, including Matt Strauss, Chairman of the Media Group, and Katie Hockmeyer, EVP, Late Night Programming. Representatives from presenting sponsors Allstate, L’Oreal Groupe, T-Mobile, and Volkswagen of America were also in attendance.
As a nod to SNL’s enduring “more cowbell” sketch, all attendees received an actual cowbell, which will be used during Sunday’s red carpet event to add to the excitement. The celebration marks a significant milestone for the show, which has become an integral part of American pop culture.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/02/snl-50th-anniverary-new-york-concert-show-red-carpet-1236289718