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LINCOLN SQUARE'S
MAGICAL LIGHTS
Lincoln Square was at the forefront of NYC's holiday festivities as the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District's Magical Lights programming delighted residents and visitors alike. Magical Lights featured sensory light and sound shows, caroling, a lively kick-off event, and an illuminated neighborhood procession led by the iconic Frost Giant Puppets.
Magical Lights kicked off with live music and family fun on December 3 at Dante Park, and the fun continued all season long! Throughout December, the Fabulous Fezziwigs brought joy to Lincoln Square with their spirited caroling of timeless classics and contemporary holiday favorites. Magical Lights programming also included Lincoln Square's third annual WinteRamble - an illuminated neighborhood procession led by Processional Arts Workshop’s Frost Giants that took place on December 18 celebrating, light, sound, and the spirit of community in Lincoln Square.
Whether enjoying iconic performances at Lincoln Center, bringing the kids to the Big Apple Circus, dining out, or shopping for the latest styles, visitors were dazzled by the Magical Lights at Dante and Richard Tucker Parks as they changed color and responded to singing, clapping, music, and even the NYC soundscape. There is always more to explore in Lincoln Square, so be sure to check out our events calendar highlighting the ways in which the whole neighborhood came alive for the holidays with special events, activities, and entertainment!
Light and Sound Shows
Nightly
Dante Park (Broadway and 64th Street)
Richard Tucker Park (Broadway and 65th Street)
Thousands of visitors joined the excitement by visiting Lincoln Square's Magical Lights in Dante and Richard Tucker Parks with nightly light and sound shows featuring audio-reactive lighting by Limbic Media. The interactive, immersive experience featured hundreds of spectacular lights that hung from the branches of the London Plane trees surrounding the two parks and twinkled to the rhythm of a beat.
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The Magical Lights at Dante Park also danced along to festive recordings from two of Lincoln Square’s iconic performing arts institutions: Jazz at Lincoln Center and The Metropolitan Opera.
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We loved clapping, singing along, and watching as the Magical Lights reacted to NYC’s soundscape and lively tunes throughout the winter. This dazzling display lifted spirits and brought even more warmth, color, and holiday magic to Lincoln Square!
Kickoff Event
Tuesday, December 3, 4:30PM
Dante Park (Broadway & 64th Street)
We turned on the dazzling display and kicked off the holiday season on Tuesday, December 3 with WABC-TV broadcast journalist Nina Pineda and Chief Meteorologist Lee Goldberg. The fun began with The Department of Spectacle, which brought classic circus acts with a holiday flair to their favorite neighborhood event of the year. A stilt walker, jugglers, and other delightfully entertaining performers joined us in Lincoln Square as we celebrated a heartwarming neighborhood tradition.
Kaufman Music Center's Special Music School Chorus added to the holiday cheer with a free performance. The concert choir features high school vocal students from Kaufman’s K-12 public school that provides students with an intensive music education program with fully-funded lessons, music classes and ensembles along with academics. The choristers have collaborated with many acclaimed artists including the celebrated British ensemble VOCES8 and composers Caroline Shaw and Lisa Bielawa.
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Festivities continued as visitors danced under the twinkling lights to live music by The SAINTS of SWING - an extraordinary collective of some of the tri-state area's finest performers specializing in eclectic selections of foot-tapping swing classics. This ultimate party band was big-time fun!
Rosa Mexicano helped us stay warm with complimentary Mexican hot chocolate throughout the evening.​​​
WinteRamble
Wednesday, December 18, 5:00PM
Along the Sidewalks of Lincoln Square
The Lincoln Square BID celebrated the winter solstice at the third annual WinteRamble - an illuminated neighborhood procession of Frost Giant puppets and icicle lanterns led by Processional Arts Workshop. The procession started at 5:00pm in front of 1886 Broadway (between 62nd Street and 63rd Street) and meandered through the Lincoln Square neighborhood to the ethereal sounds of J.C. King’s Kalimbascope (a rolling ensemble of acoustically-enhanced thumb pianos) until 6:00pm. Residents, neighbors, and visitors joined the procession from anywhere along the route.
Participants made mini-lanterns at our free workshop a at TD Bank (Broadway and 62nd Street), carried icicle lanterns and chimes, joined the Kalimbascope (an interactive processional sound installation of acoustically enhanced thumb pianos), and walked along with the group. Everyone was welcomed to take part in this family-friendly event, and the holiday spirit was high in Lincoln Square!
You can see fabulous photos from the WinteRamble on our Flickr
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Follow the Fabulous Fezziwigs
These magnificent carolers sung their way through the neighborhood on December 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 19th, visiting many of the neighborhood's renowned restaurants and retail locations.
The Fabulous Fezziwigs carolers reflect the festive spirit of Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, hosts of the annual Christmas party that compelled even Ebenezer Scrooge to put down his work and celebrate in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Bedecked in gorgeous Victorian period attire, The Fabulous Fezziwigs have an uncanny ability to lift the spirits of diverse groups of people by bringing them together in carols of the season, from time-honored classics to contemporary favorites.
More to Enjoy!
There are a number of ways to celebrate the holidays in Lincoln Square, thanks to our local businesses, restaurants, and cultural organizations. Check out some of the neighborhood's holiday offerings below!
Be sure to check back next year for updated events and promotions!
Thank You
Glenwood, Related, Con Edison, Deutsche Bank, Extell Development, 15 Central Park West, Fordham University, Trump International Hotel & Tower, Ogden CAP Properties, TD Bank, Milstein Properties, Mandarin Oriental, New York, Global Holdings, New York Institute of Technology, Hon. Gale Brewer and the New York City Council, Lincoln Center, NYC Parks & Recreation,
NYPD & NYC DOT
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