Dating back to 1993, Harlem Holiday Lights is an annual event that brings the community together to celebrate Harlem’s great heritage and the start of the holiday season. It engages community organizations to showcase the best of Harlem. The event started merely with minimal street decorations. Over the years, it has grown to become one of Harlem’s annual events. The event encourages shoppers to take advantage of the many businesses on 125th Street and to bring the Harlem community together to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Beginning in 2010, the BID began to collaborate with Community Boards 9 and 10 to ensure the continuation of the event and to open up the door for more community participation.
It’s a culinary journey that transcends international borders, celebrating our community’s culinary vibrancy. Ranging from southern comfort food, tastes of Caribbean, as well as a culinary visit to Europe, Africa, and Asia. You are invited to sample the international cuisines that our restaurants and bakeries offer to Harlemites , New Yorkers, and the world. Come hungry, leave inspired, and join the 2nd Harlem Renaissance.
Harlem, synonymous with the pulse of jazz and the sway of rhythm, has been a cradle of cultural innovation for decades. Central to this legacy is the Harlem Swing Dance Society (HSDS), an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the spirit of Lindy Hop Culture. At the heart of this society’s calendar is the ‘Harlem Roots and Rhythm Urban Dance Festival, an event that pays tribute to the ageless art of Lindy Hop (Harlem’s famed jazz dance) with Harlem’s Jazz — and its profound impact on the community.
Celebrating and Keeping
Harlem’s Jazz & Lindy Hop Legacy Alive! 6pm – 11pm
6PM — Film: The Savoy King (60m)Jazz Master Chick Webb’s Legacy includes the beginnings of Harlem’s famed Savoy Ballroom! See Harlem in its heyday and what made it HOT
7PM — Panel Discussion: Keeping Harlem’s Jazz and Lindy Hop Culture in its Harlem Home(also Vintage Harlem Lindy Hop clips!)
Featured Panelists:
Voza Rivers — The Arts & Culture Leader of Harlem tells of his experience with the Making of the Savoy King
Honoring Sonny Allen — The Savoy Ballroom and The Harvest Moon Ball – and beyond! Living History of the 1950s Savoy Style of Lindy Hop
Ralph Hopkins — Historian &Preservationist with The Savoy Manor, The Harvest Moon Ball, The Mama Lu Parks Legacy and more! The 1960’s/70s
8PM –– FREE Dance Lesson! Learn a little Swinging Lindy Hop
8PM — Social Dance with the Jazzy Sounds of the Savoy Ballroom Legacy! (Billie, Cab, Chick, Count, Duke, Ella and more!)
with the band The Savoy 3 featuring Patience Higgins
