Tompkins Square Park Tree Lighting Is Set For Sunday

EAST VILLAGE, NY — East Villagers can come watch the 28th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park this Sunday.

The group Carolers of Olde New York from the Theater for the New City Music will gather on the southeast corner of the central lawn in the East Village park at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Mandel & Lydon Trio will perform music and the famed East Village, Ukrainian restaurant Veselka will serve refreshments.

The event is co-hosted by the Tompkins Square Park Neighborhood Coalition, East Village Parks Conservancy and Third Street Music School Settlement.

There will be an after party at the Avenue B bar Lucky Sunday evening with the board of the East Village Independent Merchants Association.

Albert Fabozzi founded the tree lighting in Tompkins Square in 1993 after planting a tree in the park a year before in honor of his partner, who died of AIDS, according to the association.

See below for a video from last year's tree lighting and Fabozzi on the festivities' origins.