7 Non-Rockefeller Holiday Displays To Check Out In Midtown

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree gets most of the holiday glory in Midtown each year — but that doesn't mean it's the only display worth seeing.

The Department of Parks & Recreation is lighting up the five boroughs with special seasonal displays at 80 sites across New York City, including in Midtown: from Bella Abzug Park in Hell's Kitchen to Ralph Bunche Park across town.

The displays give residents a safe way to celebrate the holiday close to home and avoid the crowds at Rockefeller Center.

"We know that throughout this challenging year, people have looked to our parks for refuge and recreation, and we want to continue inspiring joy by spreading holiday cheer," Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver said in a statement. "We hope that our lights can help illuminate the hearts of all New Yorkers as we celebrate the holidays and what they mean to us all."

Below is a list of all the parks department's planned holiday displays in and near Midtown. More sites will be added to this map as they light up.

• Bella Abzug Park Seasonal Holiday Display — Park Information
• Central Park Seasonal Holiday Display (Grand Army Plaza) — Park Information
• Sutton Place Parks Menorah Lighting Display — Park Information
• Bryant Park Seasonal Holiday Displays — Park Information
• Herald Square Menorah Lighting Display — Park Information
• Ralph Bunche Park Menorah Lighting Display — Park Information
• Madison Square Park Menorah Lighting Display — Park Information

Or, check out the Rockefeller Center tree, which has attracted even more attention than usual this year because of the owl that briefly stowed away in its branches.

The owl-free tree is open to the public through early January, but people must sign up online for a timed entry pass to see it. Here's how to visit.

Maya Kaufman contributed reporting.