REFLECTING ON THE WINTER’S EVE FESTIVAL

Photo by Lee Kowarski.

By Emily Baer

On Monday night, the Lincoln Square BID hosted the 13th Annual Winter Eve’s Festival. Streets from Columbus Circle to Broadway and 68^th Street were packed with locals and tourists alike, all with one purpose: they were coming to see and take part in what some consider New York City’s largest outdoor holiday festival.

Check out Lee Kowarski’s photos of the event below:

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It feels like just yesterday I was writing about last year’s festival so it’s really hard to believe that a year has gone by and the holiday season of 2012 has officially started.

The festival started with the tree lighting ceremony in Dante Park, which was preceded by a performance by Suzanne Vega — this was the highlight of the evening for me!

Once again, just as I had noticed last year, during the musical performance and the lighting ceremony both Columbus Avenue & Broadway were not closed to vehicular traffic and those of us seated on the steps of Lincoln Center opposite the park, had to look at the cars and trucks passing by, instead of being able to see Suzanne Vega performing and the tree lit up in all its glory.

Once the tree was sparkling with twinkling blue lights, the crowd dispersed to many different venues along Broadway. The eclectic rock & polka band Brave Combo played to a crowd of people in the tent on 62^nd Street and Broadway. There was a hat-decorating event for kids inside the TD Bank on 63rd and Broadway. Stores along the festival’s path offered a variety of shopping incentive and discounts throughout the evening.

But the main attraction seemed to be the food offerings which were dispersed from in front of the Time Warner Center, to Richard Tucker Park (Broadway between 65^th and 66^th), and to the fancy Lincoln Square restaurant row.  I’ve been assured that the rice balls from Asiate, the curry chicken from Sapphire, and the Minestrone soup at Lincoln were mouth-watering (I was too intimidated by the lines!). What was your favorite dish?

Unless otherwise indicated, photos are by Emily Baer.