New York Festival of Lights

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Who wouldn’t fall in love to dazzling and sparkling lights, especially during nighttime? Isn’t it great to feel majestic and spectacular for a moment? Well, thanks to thousands of lights that this kind of man-made scenery was able to take the hearts of many in awe. Along with the moon and bright stars, isn’t it the perfect time to spend moments with your family and loved ones?

New York Festival of Lights
Festival highlights

About the lights festival

Well, this kind of scenery is what a lot of New York City people are enjoying every day. The New York City Festival of Lights is one of the most-awaited and anticipated displays that brings joy and hope to anyone disregarding the age, ethnicity, language, and background. It brings a different taste of reality wherein people can feel magic and fantasy even for a short moment.

With that, a lot of visitors, despite the distance, are doing their best to reach and attend this once a year festival of lights. Besides, New York City is one of the leading and richest cities in the whole world, so necessities wouldn’t be that hard to find in this place. So, let’s learn more about this New York City Festival of Lights.

FAQ

During the long holiday season, every city in the US transforms into a magical wonderland with millions of lights. New York City is no exception. Every street is lit with bulbs. There are inflatable Santas and reindeer. 

But where can you see lights in New York City during the Christmas season? Below are a few options: 

Dyker Heights

After Thanksgiving, Dyker Heights lights start to turn into something we usually see during Christmas. All residents in the area decorate their homes with stunning holiday ornaments. Everyone can also see huge inflatable snowmen/Santa and life-size reindeer. There are also thousands of lights to explore. 

Rockefeller Center 

Another way to see dazzling lights in NYC is the Rockefeller Center. Every holiday, it has become a significant tourist destination for locals and even out of town visitors. It offers a Norway Spruce covered in LED lights. Also, the shrubberies are illuminated. Plus, there are golden angles. 

Central Park 

It has been a tradition for the Central Park Conservancy to drape and decorate the Charles A. Dana Center with holiday lights and a Santa. In 2020, the lighting was virtual, and families sang along with Christmas carols at the comfort of their home. Established on December 3rd, it stayed illuminated throughout the season. 

Hudson Yards

The restaurants and shops in Hudson Yards are other places to feel the essence of Christmas. You can easily witness a million lights and other dazzling pieces. There are also hot air balloons and Christmas trees. 

Grand Army Plaza 

Who wouldn’t know the Fifth Avenue in Midtown and the Grand Army Plaza’s the Pulitzer Fountain? Every local knows that. The Fifth Avenue, for example, is lit up with a variety of ornaments. The Pulitzer Fountain is also packed with large and stunning Christmas trees. 

Saks Fifth Avenue 

Your NYC Christmas lights tour won’t be completed without the ten-story facade of the Saks Fifth Avenue. It offers festive and fun LED light projections that usually last for two minutes and more. 

Other places to see lights in NYC include the winter garden at Brookfield Place, the light display at Time Warner Center, Rolf’s restaurant, and the Lincoln Center lights or the NYC festival of lights

 

The atmosphere of the Christmas season in New York City is indescribable. There are magical decorations and countless lights for New Yorker and other out of town visitors. 

Yearly, a huge Christmas tree is lit at the Rockefeller Center. The lighting ceremony took place on December 2nd and turned off in January 2021. 

But wait, there’s more! You can take the Christmas Lights Tour of Dyker Heights. The decoration in houses is breathtaking. Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is always recognized as the best-decorated neighborhood in the US every year.

The Christmas new york festival of lights at Dyker Heights start right after Thanksgiving and can be enjoyed up to the new year. But what’s the best time to witness the most lights? Well, it’s probably in mid-December or later. The best displays are generally available on weekends. Everyone is also encouraged to go in the neighborhood from 5 to 9 pm because most homeowners turn on the lights, especially when it gets dark.

Here are a few more light festivals that you might want to see:
Wild Waves Festival of Lights
Gold Coast Light Festival

Arik Akunis
Arik Akunis

My name is Arik Akunis and I have been in the field of lighting for over the last 20 years, I started my journey in the world of lighting in the lighting niche for events where I first came across a festival of lights and immediately fell in love with it.


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