new year's eve luminarias.

Throughout Prospect Park Neighborhood Sidewalks
Tuesday, December 31, 2024, 4:30-10pm.

We are all invited to participate in this annual event to deploy luminarias on a volunteer basis throughout the neighborhood on New Year's Eve evening "to celebrate how we will illuminate our paths to remind ourselves and each other that we are still here, even if we need to stay far apart for the time being". The inaugural event in 2020 was a time to greet neighbors in wintertime, by walking around and admiring the luminarias!

Occurring 10 days after the Winter Solstice we are also celebrating lengthening daylight returning for the next 6 months here in the northern hemisphere of planet Earth.

A sampling of photos throughout the neighborhood

The slideshow on this page presents images from the 2021 and 2020 events on streets from Bedford to Arthur; Orlin to Franklin.

How the event began in 2020

Begun for the first time on New Year's Eve, 2020, several Prospect Park neighbors spontaneously promoted an idea from the Oelberger family to deploy luminarias on sidewalks and in front of homes. "In lieu of large parties and motivated by the feeling of saying farewell (and good riddance!) to 2020 and to welcome more light in 2021. We hope you join us in walking around the neighborhood in light, and we encourage you to participate as you are interested and able."

Momentum and enthusiasm built virally via the Prospect Park E-list postings over the next several days from more and more neighbors, and the result was more than 40 homes participating in candle-lit lights on a volunteer basis.