Saks fifth avenue nyc light show times

1. Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

On the day after Thanksgiving, the neighborhood of Dyker Heights undergoes a transformation, as residents along several blocks in the area festoon their homes with elaborate holiday decorations. And we're not talking about a Christmas tree or a simple nativity scene: Among the kitschy pieces you might see are life-size reindeer, huge inflatable Santas and snowmen, Christmas carols blaring from loudspeakers and tens of thousands of lights.

2. Amaze Light Festival

One of the biggest light shows in the country is opening at Citi Field on Sunday, November 20, and it's going to be dazzling.

The Amaze Light Festival by Artistic Holiday Designs features a series of five worlds—the North Pole, Land of Sweets, and a Whimsical Forest. There will also be a blend of live, high-energy performances every two-hours and the country’s largest animated light display with a mega light show every 30-minutes.

Tickets are now on sale at AmazeLightFestival.com. 

3. Central Park Holiday Lighting

For more than 25 years, the Central Park Conservancy has been draping the Charles A. Dana Center in holiday lights and ringing in the season alongside a hot-cocoa-bearing Santa. The festivities wrap up with the lighting of a flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer. Extra tip: Print out this songsheet so you're prepared for the carols.

The event is scheduled for 5:30pm on Thursday, December 1, but the lights are illuminated all through the holiday season.

4. Winter Wonderland at Watermark

Pier 15 at 78 South Street has transformed into Winter Wonderland at Watermark, a festive destination inspired by The Santa Clauses, the upcoming Disney series based on the popular The Santa Clause films starring Tim Allen. Tickets, which include entry and a complimentary cup of hot cocoa, start at $20 per person and can be purchased right here.

There will be tons to do on-site during the 90-minute-long experience, starting with the chance to quite literally walk through Santa’s house, where you’ll get to sit in the figure’s cozy armchair by the fireplace in his very own living room. Don’t forget to snap some photos, of course.

The experience runs through January 15.  

5. Shine Bright Only at Hudson Yards

Two million twinkling white lights are now adorning Hudson Yards for the shopping center's annual Shine Bright event. The display includes 115-miles of string lights, 725 evergreen trees dressed to create a gleaming forest, 16-foot tall illuminated hot air balloon decorations and a massive 32-foot hot air balloon centerpiece suspended in The Great Room of The Shops & Restaurants.

In addition to the awe-inspiring light display, there are plenty of photo opportunities, chances to visit Santa and stores to shop for everyone on your list. 

Shine Bright runs through January 8. 

6. Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has brought back its gorgeous, after-dark illuminated spectacular to its grounds. Lightscape, one-mile, illuminated trail of art from local and international artists, features the iconic Winter Cathedral and a larger Fire Garden—all set to over a million lights, color, and music. Food concessions along the trail will offer seasonal treats like s’mores and spiked hot chocolate for adults.

“The largest and most extravagant, artistic winter lights exhibition in NYC history, this distinctly Brooklyn-flavored celebration encourages everyone to find happiness and beauty, and create festive, fun gatherings with friends and family, at the darkest time of the year,” said Adrian Benepe, president and CEO. “We hope residents and visitors from around the region will make Lightscape at BBG an annual tradition.”

The event is now open with tickets on sale through January 8, 2023.

7. New York Botanical Garden Glow

Let it GLOW at the New York Botanical Garden this year at its annual NYBG Glow. The outdoor light experience will brighten up the grounds with thousands of energy-efficient LED lights and festive installations.

After dark, you can walk this expanded 1.5-mile colorful experience with even more illuminated displays than last year, including plant stories and whimsical, picture-perfect installations reflecting the surrounding gardens and collections with the Haupt Conservatory and Mertz Library Building as glowing centerpieces. It's all an ideal backdrop for a family holiday photo opp.

Plus, there will be dance performances, ice carving demonstrations and other seasonal activities (and snacks) to enjoy. Tickets, which can be paired with Holiday Train Show tickets for a little bit more money, are on sale now.

8. Holiday Train Show

The beloved New York holiday train tradition at the New York Botanical Garden, going on for over 30 years, is back as of November 19.

The garden will become a mini-train depot with its collection of 25 G-scale model trains that’ll chug along a nearly half-mile track (which is also overhead) by 190 miniature NYC landmarks like the Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller Center—all made of natural materials such as leaves, cinnamon sticks, twigs, bark and berries. 

9. Bronx Zoo Holiday Light Show

The Bronx Zoo’s sparkling seasonal celebration features animated lights and LED displays of animals from around the world.

Expect the zoo to display 360 wildlife lanterns representing 90 species spread across an expansive area of the zoo. Six lantern trails will depict scenes from geographic regions and ecosystems: North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, oceans, and the Forest of Color which features larger-than-life representations of some of the lesser known but impressively colorful animals and plants vital to the Earth’s ecosystems.

Holiday Lights will run at the Bronx Zoo on select dates November 18 through January 8. 

10. Santa's Village at American Christmas

The massive bows, angels, nutcrackers, lights and other festive decor that adorns New York City's most famous buildings comes together each year in a warehouse in Westchester County where hundreds of elves (ahem, employees) bring Christmas magic to life.

This year, you can peek inside the 110,000-square-foot warehouse of American Christmas, the company responsible for the beloved holiday decorations at Macy's, the Cartier mansion, Radio City Music Hall, the Rockefeller Center Channel Gardens and more. Plus, you can buy vintage decorations that once adorned iconic buildings, walk through larger-than-life displays in Santa's Village, explore several Dickens-themed photo opportunities and pose with 50 mesmerizing animatronics. 

See Santa's Village and the rest of the festivities at American Christmas, 30 Warren Place in Mount Vernon, through December 24. Tickets cost $10 during the week and $15 on weekends.  

11. Rockefeller Center

Yes, Rockefeller Center is a major tourist trap during the holidays, but you can’t deny its beauty. (You can be a jaded New Yorker without being a total a Grinch.)

Folks travel near and far to hit the slick stuff and admire the humungous Norway Spruce covered in thousands of LED lights, as well as the golden angels and other illuminated shrubberies. Needless to say, this inviting landmark certainly brings its A-game in terms of spreading holiday cheer.

12. Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue’s ten-story facade makes this department store a can’t-miss stop on your Christmas lights tour. In the past, festive LED light projections included “Snowflake Spectacular,” and a yeti, who according to a tie-in tale by Daily Monster creator Stefan J. Bucher, came down from Siberia to live on the roof of the department store. The usually two-minute show repeats every seven to eight minutes and ties in with the holiday display in the store's 12 windows.

13. Radio City Music Hall

Home to the incredible, high-kicking Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall is one of the most cheerful and well-lit landmarks during the merriest time of year. It’s no shock since the venue is known for its always-packed holiday show: Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Its twinkling Christmas tree is certainly captivating enough to make us want to stop and take a photo or two.

14. The Plaza Hotel

While taking a winter stroll through the iconic Central Park, it’s worth stopping by the Plaza Hotel to enjoy the hospitable venue’s lovely holiday decorations. From Christmas wreaths adorned with ornaments, to pine-covered trimmings covered with rows of white lights, the view could cheer up even the Scroogiest New Yorker.

15. Winter Village at Bryant Park

Even before Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose, the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park has already been attracting the masses (it opened before Halloween).

Apart from a free, open-to-the-public ice-skating rink, more than 60 holiday shops and outstanding food, this holiday market attracts passersby with its stunning display of holiday lights adorning the park grounds, including its larger-than-life Christmas tree. Even if you’re simply passing by this Christmas utopia, take a moment to grab some hot cocoa, sit back and admire the magic.

16. Washington Square Park Tree Lighting

Washington Square Park's beautiful tree is a sight to behold. On Wednesday, December 7, it'll be lit for the season with a lighting ceremony (you can catch it virtually) complete with carols by the Rob Susman Brass Quartet.

If you miss the tree lighting, you can see the beautifully lit 45-foot tree throughout the holiday season, lit from 4pm-1am daily.

17. Luminaries

The 640 colorful lanterns created by the LAB at Rockewell Group are coming back to Brookfield Place for the season.

Open daily now through January 6, 2023 between 10am and 8pm, visitors will be able to send a motion-activated wish into the glowing lanterns up above. There's something simply magical about sending our wishes into a light-filled display of beauty. 

The destination will also host light shows every hour set to holiday songs including "Winter Wonderland" by Michael Bublé, "Silver Bells" by Tony Bennett, "Carol of the Bells" by The Bird and The Bee and "Let It Snow" by Pentatonix. Here's the schedule of performances.

Basically, expect to be amazed by a beautiful show of light and music when you visit this holiday season.

18. Broadway Under the Stars

Take a break from Christmas shopping and check out the state-of-the-art holiday light display at The Shops at Columbus Circle. The spectacle features a dozen 14-foot LED stars that do a colorful “dance,” flashing more than 16.7 million color mixes. You’ll be so moved, you won’t even care that you maxed out your MasterCard getting Aunt Judy that back massager she’s been wanting.

Plus, mark your calendar for some special Broadway performances under the lights. On Wednesday, November 30, hear performers from Lion King and Aladdin; on Wednesday, December 7, hear performers from Phantom of the Opera and Kimberly Akimbo.

19. NYC Winter Lantern Festival

The NYC Winter Lantern Festival is returning for the 2022 season with four major events that will help illuminate the cold season.

Head to the Queens County Farm for an immersive array of lights—with double the amount of lanterns and lights as compared to last year. The farm will transform into a radiant oasis inspired by theme parks and Chinese myths and legends. In addition, there will be various illuminated tunnels, illuminated swings (rideable) and plethora of other lights.

Plus, there are Winter Lantern Festivals Siuh Community Park, Smithtown Historical Society and a drive-through experience at the Nassau County Museum of Art. All events run through January 8, 2023.

20. Shimmering Solstice

Just an hour outside of NYC on Long Island, there's a gorgeous glittering display of holiday lights illuminating the Gatsby-esque Old Westbury Gardens for the season.

Shimmering Solstice is designed to immerse visitors in a spectacular outdoor holiday experience with a dazzling walkthrough of seasonal sights and sounds. Visitors will journey through magical light displays along Old Westbury Gardens’ beautiful paths to its world-famous Walled Garden, Rose Garden, South Lawn and Allée. Designed for Old Westbury Gardens by Lightswitch, Shimmering Solstice also has a dramatic finale—a dynamic light and projection show displayed onto the south face of Westbury House. 

21. Rolf’s Restaurant

This bar and grill combines traditional German food and beer with a healthy serving of kitsch, notably with its annual Christmas decorations. Year-round, you can enjoy a wide range of German dishes, especially meats and sausages, while an array of faux medieval paintings peeks out behind meticulously entwined oak branches.