The 10th Annual Winter's Eve Festival Will Take Place Tonight At Lincoln Square Complete With Food, Shopping, Tree Lighting, And Chinese Lion Dances


10th Annual Winter's Eve Festival

WInter's Eve at Lincoln Center

Winter may not make an official appearance for another few weeks, but in New York, at least around Lincoln Center, it’s already Winter’s Eve. The tenth annual Winter’s Eve Festival takes place tonight at Lincoln Square, with entertainment and happenings occurring from Columbus Circle to Broadway and 68th Street.

The evening starts with a neighborhood tree-lighting ceremony at Dante Park, located at Broadway and 63rd Street. (Sadly, the Lincoln Center Christmas Tree has taken the year off due to economic factors.)

Food Tastings And Shopping Discounts

Festival highlights include entertainment, food tastings (either free or at a substantial discount), kids’ activities, and special shopping discounts. Want a sample? Participating restaurants include Bar Boulud, Landmarc, and Magnolia Bakery; not to mention Picholine; Soutine Bakery and ‘wichcraft.

Participating stores and cultural institutions offering discounts include the American Folk Art Museum (Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets); Kiehl’s (154 Columbus Avenue): and the TD bank at 62nd and Broadway, which is offering crafts projects.

Joy Behar Will Light The Balsam Fir Tree

And we promised entertainment, no? Joy Behar, co-host of ABC's “The View,” will light the 25-foot Balsam fir at 5:30 PM, and performances by The Flaming Idiots (juggling; antics; shenanigans), Chinese Lion Dances (costumed dancers), and others will be featured. Our pick? It’s got to be the ice sculpture and demonstrations in front of the Time Warner Center. Talk about Winter’s Eve.