NDD Holiday Celebration
As soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers are wrapped up, the NDD gets the holiday season kicked off by putting up a 50-foot holiday tree in the center of the downtown. Next, our Ambassadors begin to “deck the halls” by installing LED snowflakes on the light poles throughout the district. When dusk falls, the city is transformed into a Winter Wonderland with sparkling lights creating a festive atmosphere. To keep people in the city late into the night to do their holiday shopping, NDD offers businesses free social media advertising to our thousands of friends and followers.
The NDD’s Annual Holiday Tree Lighting in early December is always a fun-filled family event. Normally, the event takes place downtown with a visit from Santa, live DJ, Victorian carolers, carnival games, a trackless train for children to take a ride on, and local food vendors selling treats and warm hot chocolate. The 2020 7th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting took place virtually but remained full of holiday spirit and goodwill. There were messages from Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Central Ward Councilwoman LaMonica McIver, a holiday tree lighting hosted by the NDD Ambassadors, and musical performances by ENK Music and Tiger James. Check out the video below to recapture some of the magic from our event that took place on Facebook Live on November 30, 2020.
For information on the NDD Holiday Tree Lighting, contact Marketing@downtownnewark.com.
NDD Annual Stakeholders Celebration
The last NDD Annual Stakeholders Reception was held in 2019 and it was a night to remember! With the theme of Hats On!, the NDD invited guests to don their best hat and spend the evening listening to a live DJ, dancing, enjoying delicious food, and participating in the NDD’s first “Hat Contest.”
The event was held outdoors under the stars at the Alice Dreyfuss Memorial Garden at the Newark Museum. Attendees were greeted by stilt walkers, dancers, creative decor, artistically presented food, and even a dancer performing in a giant bubble.
When it came time for the Hat Competition, entrants showed off their lively hats along with their best dance moves and four lucky winners went home with a prize and the coveted title of “Best Hat.”
The NDD Annual Stakeholders Reception is a chance for the NDD to thank the Downtown community for their support throughout the year. The event is held in the fall and is attended by pre-registered guests from a variety of Newark business and residential sectors.
