Neighborhood Tree Lighting Ceremony with Arlo Guthrie

September 26, 2011

Winter’s Eve will kick off at 5:30pm with a neighborhood holiday tree lighting ceremony at Dante Park – Broadway & 63rd Street. Join legendary folk artist Arlo Guthrie, the Newark Boys Chorus, Mayor Ed Koch, WABC-TV Sade Baderinwa and others as we welcome the holiday season and light up the Upper West Side.

Thanks to a partnership with the American Folk Art Museum and Folk Arts Rajasthan, this year’s tree ornaments come all the way from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan India. The circular ornaments, called Phul or flower in Hindi, are made from recycled candy wrappers sewn together and are typically used to embellish Thar Desert homes.  Joining these gleaming decorations of recycled packaging are ornaments by Artist Katharine Watson. Folk Arts Rajasthan is a non-profit committed to the empowerment of the Merasi community in Jaisalmer, India through education and cultural preservation of the Merasi traditional artistic legacy.  This year’s 25 foot Norway Spruce was installed with the help of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.  The tree will be on display through January 2012.

Location: Dante Park – Broadway between 63rd and 64th Streets
Time: 5:30pm

Filed under: Entertainment,Family Fun,Live Music