Winter's Eve

Last night I went to a wonderful New York event known as Winter’s Eve. 

Winter’s Eve is a large and delightful outdoor performance festival and tree lighting ceremony put together by the Lincoln Center Square BID. (The BID stands for “Business Improvement District.  Their mission is to make Lincoln Center cleaner, safer, and more beautiful, and to undertake various improvement projects.)   The festival just celebrated its fourteenth year and I certainly look forward to the fifteenth! 

My friend Eva and I just wandered into the festival not doing a whole lot of research or knowing much about it.  I just consider Lincoln Center my “happy place” and consider anything happening in the area to be happiness inducing. Winter’s Eve did not disappoint.  As soon as we entered the festival, Eva was accosted by a pair of friendly human sized lemurs running around and hugging festival-goers.  I was distracted by two beautiful princesses on stilts walking their pet triceratops.  Turns out these were performers from the Processional ArtsWorkshop.    It doesn’t matter how old you are, watching giant puppets parade down the street is always magical.  These puppets and costumes were so creative and whimsical you couldn’t help but follow them up Broadway. 

They led us to Dante Park. So many fabulous performers were scheduled.  Eva and I missed most of them because I was tied up giving a holiday tour, which was super fun in and of itself.  It does turn out though that I missed one of my favorite performers, Brian Stokes Mitchell, singing in partnership with The Actors Fund.  The Actors Fund is a wonderful organization that helps actors in their times of need.  They are very much the reason I work as a tour guide now.  After living on unemployment for a year, I went to their “Work Program” and they helped me find a “parallel career” that I feel passionate and excited about.  No worries though.  Eva and I did manage to see the quirky, off-beat, and lively Frank London’s Klezmer BrassAll-Stars.  I am attempting to upload a video of them playing the "Dreidel Song," but thus far lack the technical capacity to achieve this.  So - coming soon!  

We then decided to move over to Lincoln Center to “take fun photos by the fountain,” but were distracted by the “High and Mighty Brass Band” who danced and played and delighted many a passerby with insurmountable enthusiasm.  I also soon hope to have video of them performing.  In the meantime, please enjoy this photo that I took.  

After the High and Mighty Brass Band danced away, Eva and I decided to take in the temporary art installation know as “Melt to Earth” by Aaron Curry that has been taking over Lincoln Center for the past few months.  Apparently we looked like we were having fun and a lady passing by asked if we wanted a photo of the two of us together.  After she took the photo she said, “Enjoy your youth ladies…while it lasts.   It’s gone all too soon.”  Ominous…

All along the path of “Winter’s Eve” were white tents that served tasting sized portions of food from local businesses.  We decided to gorge ourselves.  Naturally our first stop was Bar Boulud were we got cream puffs, because it totally makes sense to eat cream puffs before dinner.  We followed these by lamb sliders, rice balls, pasta, soup, guacamole, and chocolate mousse.  We probably would have inhaled more food, but it was nearing the end of the event and most of the stands were sold out by the time we arrived.  Everything we ate was delicious.  It’s worth checking out Winter’s Eve purely for the food.

We then got to see the tree being lit in Dante Park.  All of the performers conglomerated in Danted Park to celebrate the lighting of the tree.  An a cappella group sang Christmas Carols across the street near Café Fiorello.  Then the sound of drumming emerged in the distance.  I love drumming.  I actually have an unhealthy obsession with drumming.  We ran to find out where the drumming was coming from.  It was a group known as Batala.    They are an all AfroBrazilian Samba Reggae drumming band.  One very nice member let me play her drum.  Happiness abounded.

Next year I plan to return again, but I will definitely peruse the program and plan my festival. Everything I experienced was super fun, but there was so much more that could have been tasted, explored, and bought.  There were arts and crafts workshops, local store discounts, concerts, dance performances, and many more food tents we missed.  I wanted to imbibe it all.  Word to the wise, arrive at 5:30 when the event begins so you can enjoy every aspect of the festival.  It is one of the most unique holiday events I’ve experienced in the city and it’s perfect for all ages.  It’s very family friendly and will be something you can brag about to your friends at home.  The Lincoln Center Bid has a true winner with Winter’s Eve.