77th Annual Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
Nothing could stop New Yorkers from showing their Christmas spirit at the 77th annual tree lighting ceremony in Rockefeller Center Plaza on Wed., Dec 2.
A steady, pesky rain did little to prevent New Yorkers donning Santa Claus hats and reindeer antlers as they made their way to the famed Rockefeller Center ceremony.
Streets and sidewalks were barricaded off between Fifth and Sixth Aves and between 48th and 51st streets and were flooded with frantic shoppers and damp tree watchers.
Over 100,000 were expected to trek, in the rain, to witness the the 76-foot tall Norway Spruce from Connecticut shine with 30,000 lights.
“I come every year, no matter what the weather is like, its a family tradition,” said Christina Mederos, 19, of Whitestone.
The Mederos family, like many, found it extremely difficult to get close enough to the tree to see the initial lighting. Fifth Avenue foot traffic was moving at a snail’s pace and looked like a sea of multi-colored umbrellas vigorously bumping into one another.
“Hopefully I’ll at least get close enough to see [the ceremony] on the big TV,” said Krista Vita, 19, a student at St. John’s University. Vita, like the majority of this year’s tree-goers, was caught up in the middle of the slow-moving crowd en route to see the tree.
“People flock here to be a part of something big, a national event.” said Officer Brown, one of the many NYPD officers stationed along Fifth Ave during the ceremony.
Brown, who had been stationed at the tree lighting last year as well, didn’t think the inclimate weather would have a significant effect on the turnout.
“Nothing could stop me from seeing Micheal Buble,” said Viera Scaglione, of New Jersey, who made her way to the ceremony with two friends.
Also performing at the ceremony were the Radio City Rockettes, and the familiar faces of singer Aretha Franklin, actress Jane Krakowski, actor Zach Levi, and of course New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg.