Business Wire

NY-EMPIRE-STATE-REALTY

Share
Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Empire State Building Announces Fan-Favorite Holiday Programs to Include 20th Anniversary Elf Activations, Classic Holiday Décor, Festive Pop-Ups, Special Lightings and More

The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced the details of its annual holiday festivities. Celebrations through the end of the year will include seasonal holiday décor, visits from Santa Claus, pop ups, and special tower lightings.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231121955174/en/

To view this piece of content from mms.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Empire State Building Announces Fan-Favorite Holiday Programs to Include 20th Anniversary Elf Activations, Classic Holiday Décor, Festive Pop-Ups, Special Lightings and More (Photo: Business Wire)

“The holiday season is upon us, and we are excited to provide our guests with one-of-a-kind, holiday-themed experiences here at the Empire State Building,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. “This year’s visitors are in for lots of treats -- from photos with Santa to elaborate holiday decorative displays and dedications to the Empire State Building’s co-star, ‘Elf,’ to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary.”

Deck the Halls
Ornaments, wreaths, tinsel, and bows with silver and gold accents adorn the entire Observatory Experience with a large, bright menorah in front of the two-story building model. Inspired by Santa’s workshop, guests can take their holiday photos on the Empire State Building’s 80th Floor in a snowy corner display with Christmas trees, wrapped presents, a cozy fireplace backdrop, and Santa’s oversized chair.

The building’s landmark Fifth Avenue Lobby, that can be visited after conclusion of guests’ visits to the Observatory, is adorned with hanging holiday lights, wreaths, and an embellished Christmas tree. The iconic Fifth Avenue windows depict snowy scenes of Buddy the Elf and his friends as he travels from the North Pole to the “World’s Most Famous Building.” From Nov. 27 through Dec. 29, tenants and visitors who pass through the Fifth Avenue Lobby from Monday through Friday will hear festive holiday tunes performed by professional pianists.

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
On Dec. 2, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, and 22, Santa Claus himself will collect wish lists, spread holiday cheer, and pose for photos with Observatory guests in his own decorated corner on the 80th Floor. For more information on times, please visit esbnyc.com.

ESB Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of ‘Elf’
The beloved Christmas comedy features Buddy the Elf, who in the famous 2003 film travels to meet his father at his office in the Empire State Building. To celebrate the Christmas classic and the Empire State Building’s lead role in the film, ‘Elf’ will take over the Observatory with themed décor in the building’s Fifth Avenue windows and on the 86th Floor Observatory.

Fans can purchase a special ticket to view ‘Elf’ at one of four screenings on the Observatory’s 80th Floor on Sunday, Dec. 3, 10, 13 and 17. Tickets will include holiday-themed drinks and snacks, and full access to ESB’s second floor museum and 86th Floor Observatory. Tickets can be purchased here.

Baby It’s Cold Outside!
Nov. 23 through Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., S’mores N’more will pop up to sell their famed hot chocolate with oversized marshmallows to guests who purchase tickets to the 86th Floor Observation deck. Special flavors will include:

  • “The Buddy” -- inspired by ‘Elf’, a classic hot chocolate with whipped cream, a pop tart marshmallow, M&Ms, chocolate, and a maple syrup drizzle
  • “The King” -- inspired by “Kong” himself, a classic hot chocolate with whipped cream, a banana chocolate chip marshmallow, chocolate and banana poke sticks, and cocoa dust
  • “Christmas in the Clouds,” a peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream, a peppermint marshmallow, a York peppermint patty, and Christmas sprinkles

The Empire State Building’s world-famous outdoor Observatory is also equipped with heaters on the 86th Floor Observation Deck during the chillier months to provide guests with a comfortable viewing experience.

Holiday Lightings
The Empire State Building’s world-famous tower lights will shine throughout the holiday season with dedicated lightings for Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. The Empire State Building will also debut its annual holiday music-to-light show.

The Empire State Building’s world-famous Observatory Experience recently underwent a $165 million reimagination that features an interactive museum with nine galleries, brand-new host uniforms, and iconic Observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors. The Observatory Experience was recently named #1 attraction in the U.S. for the second consecutive year by TripAdvisor travelers. Text CONNECT to 274-16 to receive information about each Empire State Building tower lighting. More information about the Empire State Building can be found online.

About the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the US for the second year in a row in Tripadvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.

Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
Category: Observatory

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231121955174/en/

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com
DK

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

The Blind Sailor Takes the Stage at WEF: "HIRO’s CHOICE" Project to Set Sail13.1.2026 05:00:00 CET | Press release

A Solo, Non-Stop Crossing of the Pacific Ocean “Blind Sailor Single-Handed Pacific Crossing Project 2027” is a world-first initiative in which Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, a completely blind Japanese yachtsman (blind sailor) based in San Diego, will attempt a solo, non-stop trans-Pacific crossing in the spring of 2027. Sailing a 28-foot yacht single-handedly, he aims to cross the Pacific Ocean from San Diego on the U.S. West Coast to Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, without making port. Iwamoto will speak about this project at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, to be held in January 2026. Project URL: https://hiros-choice.com/ This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260108087321/en/ Hiro Iwamoto / Global Keynote Speaker, First Totally Blind Sailor to Cross the Pacific The message he most wishes to convey at the WEF is the power of choice. He lost his sight at the age of sixteen—a moment when he nearly gave up on

MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version Released for Automotive Industry13.1.2026 01:00:00 CET | Press release

MarkLines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Makoto Sakai; TYO:3901) announced its launch of the "MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version," the new feature for B2B users in the automotive industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112383839/en/ "MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version" can take questions in natural language and instantly give highly reliable, relevant data drawn from MarkLines’ extensive automotive database (Image: MarkLines Co., Ltd.) This AI-powered feature enables users to ask questions in natural language and instantly receive highly reliable, relevant data drawn from MarkLines’ extensive automotive database. Moreover, the system analyzes this information by leveraging the rich content across its platform and delivers clear, concise, text-based insights. By combining trusted data with advanced analytical capabilities through generative AI, this service represents a first-of-its-kind

Australian Defence Force Secures Satellite Communications on SES IS-2212.1.2026 22:30:00 CET | Press release

New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041 Satellite communications solutions provider SES will provide secure uninterrupted satellite communications to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for a minimum of 16 years thanks to a new extended agreement. The service will be provided via the SES Intelsat 22 satellite and an ultra-high frequency (UHF) military communications payload. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112137182/en/ Assistant Secretary Space Systems Branch, Michael Hunt, formalizes contract negotiations for the through-life support of the IS-22 satellite with Rory Welch, senior vice-president of service delivery at SES Space and Defense. Photos: Corporal Annika Smit Under the renewed arrangement, SES will reposition the IS-22 satellite to a new orbital slot specified by the ADF, continuing a mission that has been the corne

NetApp Appoints Paul Fipps to the Board of Directors12.1.2026 22:05:00 CET | Press release

NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced that Paul Fipps, President of Global Customer Operations at ServiceNow, has joined its Board of Directors. The board now has ten directors, nine of whom are independent, and 50% of whom have been appointed within the last five years. Fipps brings more than 20 years of experience driving technology-enabled growth and customer transformation. At ServiceNow, he currently leads global sales, customer success, partner ecosystems, and field operations. He previously served as EVP of Worldwide Sales at ServiceNow and as President of Under Armour Connected Fitness and Chief Experience Officer at Under Armour, overseeing global direct-to-consumer, connected fitness, and digital experiences. He also previously served on the advisory board of Quantum Metric. Fipps holds a B.S. in Information Systems, an MBA from the University of Baltimore, and is a graduate of The Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program. “P

FDA Accepts New Drug Application for Pimicotinib for the Treatment of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor12.1.2026 20:00:00 CET | Press release

Not intended for Canada-, UK- or US-based media Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s new drug application (NDA) for pimicotinib as a systemic treatment for patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). The application is based on the primary results and longer-term follow-up of the global Phase 3 MANEUVER study, which demonstrated deep and durable tumor responses and meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes with pimicotinib. “With pimicotinib, we have an opportunity to significantly advance care for people living with TGCT, a painful and debilitating disease that has few effective and well-tolerated treatment options beyond surgery,” said David Weinreich, Global Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer for the Healthcare business of Merck. “Based on clinical trial results showing not only a reduction in tumor burden, but also the ability to help alleviate symptoms like pain an

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye