Experience the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District’s Magical Lights at our nightly light and sound shows!
The celebration begins with the BID’s WinteRamble, an illuminated neighborhood procession led by Processional Arts Workshop. Neighbors gather to make mini lanterns, carry icicle lanterns, play thumb pianos, and stroll alongside the iconic Frost Giant puppets, a beloved part of our neighborhood’s holiday tradition. On select nights in December, the Fabulous Fezziwigs delight passersby with festive caroling that fills the streets with cheer.
Whether you’re taking in a seasonal performance at Lincoln Center, dining out, or shopping for the latest styles, there’s more to love in Lincoln Square! After the nightly Star Show at The Shops at Columbus Circle, stroll up Broadway to see the enhanced holiday lighting across the BID’s ten Broadway Malls. Then get ready to be dazzled by our nightly light and sound shows at Dante and Richard Tucker Parks, where the lights change color in response to singing, clapping, music, and even the sounds of the city itself.
Come see the whole neighborhood come alive for the holidays, with special events, activities, and entertainment waiting around every corner!
Light and Sound Shows
Nightly
Dante Park (Broadway and 64th Street)
Richard Tucker Park (Broadway and 65th Street)
Join the excitement at Lincoln Square BID’s Magical Lights in Dante and Richard Tucker Parks, where nightly light and sound shows feature audio-reactive lighting by Limbic Media.
This interactive, immersive experience surrounds you with hundreds of spectacular lights suspended from the branches of the London Plane trees. They twinkle and pulse to the rhythm of the beat.
At Dante Park, the Magical Lights also dance along to festive recordings from two of Lincoln Center’s iconic performing arts institutions: Jazz at Lincoln Center and The Metropolitan Opera. The shows begin nightly at 4:30pm.
Clap, sing along, or simply sit back and watch as the lights react to NYC’s soundscape and lively tunes all winter long. This dazzling display lifts spirits and brings even more warmth, color, and holiday magic to Lincoln Square!
Magical Lights Ceremony
Thursday, December 1, 4:30PM
Dante Park (Broadway & 64th Street)
Join us as we turn on the dazzling lights and kick off the holiday season! Hear inspiring remarks from local elected and government officials, LSBID board members, and more!
The fun begins with a showcase of classic circus acts with a holiday flair. Then settle in for a free performance by Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School Chorus. We encourage you to grab a partner and dance 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, foot-tapping swing classics. This ultimate party band is big-time fun, featuring Jim Mola and Kati Mac on vocals, Grisha Alexiev on drums, Tim Ouimette on trumpet, Ken Foy on trombone, Dale DeMarco on saxophone, and Lew Scott on bass. Come ready to move!
WinteRamble
Thursday, December 21, 4:30PM
Along the Sidewalks of Lincoln Square
Step into the glow at the fifth annual WinteRamble, the Lincoln Square BID’s illuminated winter solstice procession of towering Frost Giant puppets, led by Processional Arts Workshop.
Wander the neighborhood’s streets to the ethereal sounds of J.C. King’s Kalimbascope, a rolling ensemble of acoustically enhanced thumb pianos. Hundreds of residents, neighbors, and visitors fill the route each year, carrying icicle lanterns, playing thumb pianos, and ringing chimes as the spectacle floats past.
Dozens of mini lanterns light the way, crafted by helpful volunteers at our free workshop at TD Bank (Broadway and 62nd Street). Drop by to make one of your own and carry a little of the light with you.
The Fabulous Fezziwigs
Throughout December, 5:30PM
Along the Sidewalks of Lincoln Square
Keep an ear out for The Fabulous Fezziwigs, spreading holiday cheer as they carol their way through Lincoln Square!
On seven winter nights, these singers fill the neighborhood with classic and modern renditions of holiday tunes, performing in front of several storefronts and at Richard Tucker Park. Whether you’re strolling, shopping, or heading home from work, you’re sure to be delighted.
The Fezziwigs channel 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. Dressed in gorgeous Victorian period attire, they have an uncanny ability to lift spirits, bringing diverse groups of people together in song with everything from time-honored classics to contemporary favorites.
Catch them this December: 4, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 18, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
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!
