Winter’s Eve Recap
Winter’s Eve took place last night on Broadway between Columbus Circle and 68th, and My Upper West guest bloggers Matt and Abbie Lane were there to enjoy the festivities. Read on to hear about the fabulous celebration.
Neither rain nor cold could stop the crowds from enjoying the 10th annual Winter’s Eve festivities! They huddled under umbrellas, bundled their little ones tight, and illuminated Lincoln Square with glowing Christmas cheer! A literal feast of the senses awaited one and all. One’s taste buds were dazzled and aromas of decadent food filled the air. Our ears delighted with song, while our eyes opened wide by colorful lights above.
The fun began at Dante Park (Broadway and 63rd), where The Flaming Idiots and God’s Generation Choir warmed up the audience. Joy Behar kicked off the countdown for the neighborhood tree lighting! Click through for video of Joy Behar’s tree lighting and more Winter’s Eve fun.
After bidding Joy Behar adieu, the Gods’ Generation Choir led the crowd through a few beautiful Christmas Carols under the newly lit tree. Their silky voices rose in mighty chorus, drowning out the normal street noises of cab, bus, and subway. The spirit of the season has officially arrived!
There was a live ice sculpting and amazing performances by the Drumadics, ASCAP Sing-a-long, Andy Akiho, Antibalas, and many other luscious sounds. Look out… if you turned around, there were stilt-walkers dressed in King Louis Mardi Gras masks and costumes, and the fairy godmother waved her gentle wand as the children walked by.
Along with the exciting entertainment at Winter’s Eve, local restaurants offered their best food, with many tastings offered for free and others offered for a small price (at most $5). We tasted some lovely soups (squash soup from Bar Boulud, pasta fagioli with herbed bread from Café Fiorello, and turkey jambalaya and a roll from O’Neals). Matt was overjoyed to discover bits of andouille sausage in the jambalaya! Other nibbles included a shrimp sandwich from Sushi A-Go-Go and crabcakes from Josephina’s. Later, we had tiramisu gelato and chocolate whiskey gelato from Screme Gelato Bar, penne with tomato basil sauce and tres leches cake from Luce, and hot cocoa, a red velvet cupcake, a Winter’s Eve cupcake, and a brownie from Magnolia Bakery. Although we physically were unable to eat another bite, we did notice Picholine was selling pomegranate cider for $3. Where else in New York can you dine like royalty, listen to live music, and see celebrities (including Santa) for under $40 for two people?
Towards the end of the evening, we interviewed some of the audience. “Meditative Bear” and “Night Nurse” posed for a photo, and exclaimed that the Winter’s Eve Festival had the “best feeling in the city,” as they smiled in contented rapture. Check out the gallery of some Winter’s Eve highlights.
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