 |
Heather Groll 518-474-5987 | heather.groll@ogs.ny.gov
December 03, 2015
|
NEW YORK STATE HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING AND FIREWORKS PRESENTED BY SEFCU DECEMBER 6Ice Sculptures, Live Music, Figure Skating Performances, Visit from Santa, and More |
|
New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced the annual New York State Holiday Tree Lighting and Fireworks will take place on Sunday, December 6 at the Empire State Plaza. A full day of indoor and outdoor family fun and activities, including a visit from Santa Claus, will start at 10 a.m. with Roaming Railroad indoor train rides and the opening of the skating rink at 11 a.m. The tree lighting ceremony and fireworks will begin at 5:15 p.m., and the event will conclude with a Rock and Skate featuring a live performance by Grand Central Station from 6:15 to 8 p.m.
“The musical and skating performances, fun activities for kids, and fireworks show planned for this year’s New York State tree lighting ceremony will make the Empire State Plaza the perfect place for friends, family and, neighbors to gather and celebrate the holiday season,” Commissioner Destito said. “Governor Cuomo and I are very pleased to continue this more than 30-year-old tradition of lighting a tree at the Plaza, and I want to thank our presenting sponsor SEFCU, the families that donated the trees, and all our other sponsors for their generous support.”
This year’s holiday tree on the Empire State Plaza was donated by the Parks family of Schenectady. The tree displayed in East Capitol Park was donated by the Ricciardone family of Mechanicville.
The public is invited to this free family-friendly outdoor event presented by SEFCU to enjoy skating, caroling with the Rusty Pipes, holiday arts and crafts, ice sculpting by Schenectady County Community College, demonstrations by the Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club, live music, and fireworks.
There will also be a visit from Santa, hot chocolate and snacks, an alpaca petting zoo, and much more, and all are encouraged to also stop by the Taste New York Holiday Expo at the New York State Museum, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and has a $5 admission and the Great Train Extravaganza in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has a $7 admission with kids under 12 admitted for free. Also on Sunday, family rock ’n roll band The Zucchini Brothers will be performing at The Egg Center for the Performing Arts at 2 p.m. Tickets for The Zucchini Brothers are $12, and an adult gets in free when accompanied by a child. The Empire State Plaza Visitor Center gift shop at the north end of the Concourse will also be open from 1 to 4 p.m.
Following the fireworks, Schenectady’s own Grand Central Station will perform for a holiday Rock & Skate at the Empire State Plaza ice rink from 6:15 to 8 p.m.
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER 6:
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Great Train Extravaganza in the Convention Center ($7 admission, kids under 12 free)
11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Free Skating (5 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. rink will temporary shut down during skating demonstrations and fireworks) Skate rentals and helmets are available and snack bar is open
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Taste New York Holiday Expo at NYS Museum ($5 admission fee)
Noon – 5 p.m. Holiday Marketplace, Empire State Plaza Concourse
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Alpaca petting zoo on the Plaza
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Ice sculpture demonstrations by Schenectady County Community College, ice rink
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Arts and crafts and holiday music, Meeting Room 6, Empire State Plaza Concourse
2 p.m. Meet Santa, Empire State Plaza Concourse
2 p.m. Holiday music with the Capital District Flute Club, Empire State Plaza Concourse, Meeting Room 6
2 p. m. The Zucchini Brothers, The Egg ($12 admission, adult in free when accompanied by a child)
3 p.m. Meet Santa, Empire State Plaza Concourse
3 p.m. Caroling on the Plaza with The Rusty Pipes
4 p.m. Holiday music with TubaChristmas, Empire State Plaza
4:45 p.m. Caroling on the Plaza with The Rusty Pipes
5 – 6 p.m. Rink closed for maintenance
5:15 p.m. Official NYS Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony presented by SEFCU
5:30 p.m. Fireworks
6:00 p.m. Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club, skating demonstration, rink
6:15 p.m. – 8 p.m. Holiday Rock and Skate with Grand Central Station, rink
For more information on 2015-16 Winter At The Plaza events, visit us online at www.empirestateplaza.org, on Facebook at empirestateplaza, follow us on Twitter @plazaevents, or call the OGS Convention & Cultural Events Office (518) 474-4759.
|
|
|
###
|
|