Kennedy Center Honors: Opening Celebrations

Watch the Kennedy Center Honors on Tuesday, December 23, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

On Friday, December 5, 2025, the Kennedy Center opened Honors weekend with five simultaneous celebrations across Washington, D.C., each hosted in partnership with an embassy or the Vice President’s Residence and dedicated to a different 2025 Honoree. Argentina hosted the gathering for George Strait, Australia hosted the celebration for KISS, Austria honored Gloria Gaynor, the Vice President’s Residence welcomed guests for the U.S. Naval Observatory event, and Serbia hosted the reception for Michael Crawford. This video captures moments from each location, showcasing the international partnerships and festivities that marked the official start of the Honors weekend.

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