Who doesn’t love It’s a Wonderful Life? This holiday season we can include Pope Leo XIV as a fan. It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the Pope’s four favorite films, alongside The Sound of Music, Life Is Beautiful, and Ordinary People. Not only that, but the Pope’s celebration of cinema at the Vatican last week also noted film’s ability to inspire and unite as “a popular art in the noblest sense.”
The 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life has been nobly inspiring and uniting people and audiences for nearly 80 years. It’s that time of year again, Bedford Falls fans, for It’s a Wonderful Life with Dimitri Tiomkin’s score performed live in concert, Tiomkin’s It’s a Wonderful Life concert suite, public screenings of the famous film, and even sing-a-longs. Many of these events sell out, CLICK on a link below to buy your tickets today.
It’s a Wonderful Life Live in Concert!
Two thrilling live-to-picture concert performances of Dimitri Tiomkin’s music score are in store for Midwestern audiences.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
Kansas City Symphony, with guest conductor Ron Spigelman, from CineConcerts and Hallmark
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO
Dimitri Tiomkin’s It’s a Wonderful Life Suite
Holiday Spectacular
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Toshiyuki Shimada, conductor
Garde Arts Center, New London, CT
79th Anniversary Celebration in Seneca Falls, NY
A jam-packed extended weekend celebration for the 79th Anniversary Celebration in Seneca Falls, New York, December 12 to 14, brings back special guests (from draft schedule, not all confirmed at press time), Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu Bailey), Jimmy Hawkins (Tommy Bailey), Don Collins (Young Pete Bailey), and George Bailey’s car. Other attendees with special presentations include Mary Owen (daughter of actress Donna Reed), Monica Capra Hodges (granddaughter of director Frank Capra), and John Kuri (son of set decorator Emile Kuri). Check out the website for more details, including items from the movie depicted with LEGO®s, and the complete schedule.
Selected Film Screenings
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, Silver Spring, MD
Opening date, Monday, December 15, 2025, 2 p.m.
Complete screening schedule for the 4K restoration.
December 22, 23 and 24, 2025, Introduction and book event with Jeremy Arnold, author of Turner Classic Movies’ “Christmas in the Movies”
Capitol Theatre
December 21, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Part of the 2025 Holiday Film Series and CapFilm series of Frank Capra films.
Appel Center for the Performing Arts, 50 N. George Street, York, PA
Gateway Film Center, Columbus, OH
Opening date, December 21, 2025
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Niles, CA
Friday, December 5, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
Selected screenings from StubHub, many more to choose from at this link
Carolina Classic Holiday Film Series
Carolina Theatre, Greensboro, NC
Sunday, December 7, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Historic Elsinore Theatre, Salem, OR
Monday, December 22, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Sing-A-Long at The Music Box, Chicago, IL
Opens December 6, 2025
As told on the Music Box website, a tradition that grows more popular with each passing year was born forty-two years ago on a snowy Christmas Eve in 1983, when the operator of this vintage movie theater in Chicago decided to show two old holiday movies and sing a few Christmas carols during the intermission. That became the Music Box Christmas Show, a weeks-long extravaganza.
Television
This is where it all began! The movie was not a hit upon initial release. Ironically, it took a generation of television watchers of the annual broadcast to turn It’s a Wonderful Life into a holiday classic. NBC continues that tradition with its airing on Christmas Eve, December 24, 8 p.m.
Are we missing something? Send the details of your concert or screening to info at dimitritiomkin.com with subject line IAWL2025.
Sources
Winfield, Nicole. “Pope Leo XIV celebrates movies with Hollywood stars, urges inclusion of marginal voices,” Los Angeles Times, November 15, 2025.
