A large stretch of Fifth Avenue will once again be closed to vehicles for the holidays—but just for one day. The Fifth Avenue Association announced that Holiday Open Streets will return on Sunday, December 14, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., turning the iconic corridor between 47th and 57th Streets into a pedestrian-centric, holiday-themed promenade. The event, held across three Sundays in 2022 and 2023, was reduced to a single day in 2024, and will remain so in 2025 due to “logistical challenges” tied to increased security at Trump Tower, according to Gothamist.
Although the association has not released full details, its website says visitors can look forward to dazzling light displays, festive decor, live entertainment, food and drinks, and unique brand activations, with more details to be announced soon.
Mayor Eric Adams first announced plans to fully pedestrianize Fifth Avenue between 48th and 59th Streets for three Sundays during the 2023 holiday season. The initiative built on the success of the pandemic-era Open Streets program, which, according to a report released the previous month, generated an additional $3 million in spending at businesses along pedestrianized blocks during the 2022 holiday season.
The success of the holiday open streets also laid the foundation for the permanent redesign of Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park. Spearheaded by the “Future of Fifth” public-private partnership, the plan will transform the corridor into a pedestrian-focused thoroughfare by reducing traffic lanes from five to three, nearly doubling sidewalk widths, shortening crosswalks, and adding more than 230 trees, new seating, and improved lighting.
Last year, when the program was reduced to a single Sunday, Council Member Keith Powers told Streetsblog a longer, multi-day event was “such an easy win for the area in Midtown,” and should return in 2025. At the time, the Fifth Avenue Association attributed the reduction to security challenges surrounding Trump Tower.
This year, the association did not explain its decision to maintain the shorter schedule. In a statement, President Edward Pincas Jr. said the program will bring “festive cheer to the iconic shopping corridor in time for the holidays.” However, this year’s celebration will cover a slightly larger stretch than last year’s, which closed the corridor between 48th and 55th Streets.
“Working with the City of New York and New York City [Department of Transportation], we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the most famous holiday shopping street in the world,” Pincas said in the statement, according to Gothamist.
Meanwhile, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrived in the plaza on Saturday. Hailing from East Greenbush, New York, the 75-foot-tall Norway spruce will be lit during the annual tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday, December 3.
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