Magical Lights on NYC’s Upper West Side

Lincoln Square on New York’s Upper West Side will shine bright this holiday season as the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID) unveils its Magical Lights program, a festive celebration of light and sound.

The expanded 2024 holiday programming will transform the neighborhood into a vibrant wonderland with interactive light displays, enchanting sound installations, and beloved traditions.

The festivities kick off on Tuesday, December 3 with a celebration at 4:30 PM in Dante Park to officially turn on the holiday lights than are bigger, better, and brighter than ever before.

Expanded Features for 2024 Magical Lights include:

1. Singing Trees in Dante Park: The iconic London Plane trees in Dante Park (Broadway & 64th Street) will feature a new sound installation, added to its audio-reactive lights, that will make the trees sing as the lights dance along in sync with festive holiday music.
2. Interactive Lights expanding to Richard Tucker Park: A new audio-reactive light installation complementing Dante’s light show will twinkle, move to the rhythms of the city, and brighten up Richard Tucker Park (Broadway & 65th Street).
3. Illuminated Broadway Malls: This year, 36 trees in the Broadway Malls from 60^th to 70^th Street will illuminate Broadway’s global corridor.

The audio reactive lighting system has been designed by Limbic Media, a trans-disciplinary team of artists and engineers transforming public spaces with high-tech interactive art and light installations that invite participation and bring communities together.

Additional highlights and entertainment for the kickoff at Dante Park include:

1. The Department of Spectacle will kick off this magical evening with holiday-inspired circus acts, including stilt walkers, jugglers, and the whimsical Princess Schneeflocken.
2. Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School Chorus will add 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.
3. The SAINTS of SWING, an extraordinary collective of some of the tri-state area’s finest performers specializing in eclectic and electric selections of foot-tappin’ Swing classics, will fill the air with lively music as visitors dance along under the twinkling lights. Vocalists Kati Mac and Jim Mola will lead the group. Kati Mac has six acclaimed albums focusing on fostering peace and connection through music. Songs of Revolution, Songs of Peace is her latest release. Jim Mola brings a robust vocal portfolio, with contributions to iconic shows and brands like Saturday Night Live, Family Guy, and even the voice of the Jolly Green Giant.

Additional holiday programming and entertainment include:

1. Follow the Fabulous Fezziwigs December 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 18.
   1. Throughout December, the Fabulous Fezziwigs will wear their festive Victorian costumes and bring joy to Lincoln Square with their spirited caroling of timeless classics and contemporary holiday favorites.

2. Wednesday, December 18 – WinteRamble Workshop 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. & Procession, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Procession starts at 1886 Broadway (between 62nd & 63rd Streets)
   1. The Lincoln Square BID invites the public to the third annual WinteRamble – an illuminated community procession of Frost Giant puppets and icicle lanterns led by Processional Arts Workshop. The procession begins at 5 p.m. from a central location and then meanders along the sidewalks of Lincoln Square. Visitors and residents can participate in the WinteRamble by volunteering to carry a crystalline icicle lantern, creating and carrying their own mini lantern, or joining J.C. King’s Kalimbascope, a rolling ensemble of acoustically-enhanced thumb pianos. Those interested in participating or attending are encouraged to sign up at MagicalLights.nyc.

For full event details and updates, visit MagicalLights.nyc.