The Village’s Annual Tree Lighting in Washington Square!

By Anthony Paradiso

On Dec. 6, the 99th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting took place in Washington Square Park. A crowd gathered in the cold weather to watch the 45-foot tree light up at 6:00 pm. The tree’s 8,100 lights will be on between the hours of 4:00 pm and 1:00 am for the duration of the season.

The Tree Lighting takes place every year because the 115-year-old Washington Square Association organizes it. The Washington Square Park Conservancy also helps support the event. WSA members handed out Christmas Carols songbooks to help people sing along.

Festivities kicked off with WSA President, Trevor Sumner, speaking in front of the crowd and introducing both NYC Parks Commissioner, Sue Donoghue, and NY State Senator, Brian Kavanagh. During Kavanagh’s speech, protesters started chanting “CEASE FIRE NOW!” referring to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. Donoghue spoke after Kavanagh and then Sumner started the countdown.

Prior to the ceremony, I had walked up to people asking them for quotes and I asked a group of young women who appeared to be dressed in Muslim headscarves, who politely refused. One of the more graphic things that the protesters said was “Israel bombs, USA pays. How many kids did you kill today?” There were Parks Enforcement Patrol officers on site, one of whom told me that the protesters had a “right” to disrupt the tree lighting and that he could not stop it. 

Amplified speakers had been placed around the arch and after the tree had been lit, live music was played by the Rob Susman Brass Quartet. The Susman band along with singer Linseigh Green returned for an event called “Washington Square Christmas Eve Caroling.” These events seem to be more than just an excuse to get out of the house during the winter, but reminders of how people can come together to make the community feel a little extra warm and joyful around the holidays.

Liz, who attended the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, remarked that this was her first time attending and that she had heard about it through the Washington Square Association’s Facebook page. 

I walked up to four families who were standing as close as crowd-members could to the arch. One mother told me that their kids attend local schools (including Public School 41 on West 11th Street) and that they come to the Tree Lighting every year. Another parent chimed-in saying, “We’ve got a little fifth grade mafia going on here,” referring to the boldness that the kids were showing by standing right in front of the podium where speakers would give their pep talks.

As I walked through the crowd, I saw many happy people, bobbing up and down on both sides of the arch. There were kids and college students, old couples and young couples, rejoicing under that 77-foot Village monument, which found a new friend that day in the tree. I also reminded myself of the importance of “taking the high-road” when I saw that just about all of the people who had come to see the Tree Lighting, resisted the urge to confront the protesters.

By law, small groups of people can organize protests in city parks and on public sidewalks and streets. According to the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), groups of under 20 people can hold a demonstration inside a city park and do not need a permit. 

Perhaps, the lesson behind this story is that we can celebrate the holidays while resisting the urge to argue and fight out of respect for the concerns that others may be having.

Have a Happy Holiday everyone!