Quantcast

Tompkins Sq. tannenbaum, lighting turn 25

tompkins-tree-lighting-2016-12-15-v01vilprint_webweb
Crystal Field, right, and Ye Olde New York Carolers from Theatre for the New City performed at the Tompkins Square Park tree lighting on Sunday afternoon. Photos by Rainer Turim

BY RAINER TURIM | This past Sunday was the 25th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park Christmas tree lighting. The celebrations started at 4 p.m. with instrumental music provided by pianist Ellen Mandel, guitarist Michael Lyndon, and trumpet player John Hagan. Local neighborhood shops, such as Abraco Cafe, Angelica Kitchen, Butter Lane, C & B Cafe, Cupcake Market, Jimmy’s 43, Paradiso and Veselka provided tasty treats and warm drinks.

David Leslie, a director at the East Village Community Coalition, was busy preparing for the tree lighting. Leslie was happy to see that so many people in the community have donated to the event. This year the event was decorated with wreaths donated by Tom Birchard, Jimmy Carbone, East Village Parks Conservancy, East Village Community Coalition, East Village Independent Merchants Association, Saifee Hardware & Garden, and The Source Unltd Print & Copy Shop.

Before the tree was lit, The Theatre for the New City’s chorus sung festive songs, dressed in costumes provided by The Public Theater. Following the chorus, the tree’s original planter, Albert Fabozzi said a few brief words. Twenty-five years ago Fabozzi planted the tree in Tompkins Square Park in honor of his boyfriend who died of AIDS.

tompkins-tree-lighting-2016-12-15-v03vilprint_webweb
A light snowfall started, as if on cue for the tree-lighting event.

The event concluded with a raffle provided by local neighborhood stores, including an.mé/ahn-may/ kids boutique, Alphabets, Davey’s Ice Cream, Dinosaur Hill, East Village Postal, Exit 9 and Village Kids Footwear.

Fabozzi moved to the East Village 30 years ago. When he planted the tree five years later, it was 8-feet tall. It’s grown a lot since then.

He was the former chairperson of Community Board 3.

“I got involved in the community because I didn’t want to live in fear,” he said.

Fabozzi is grateful for the community that he lives in today.

“It’s rare that communities like this exist,” he told the crowd.

After having been told that he made the event happen, Fabozzi cheerfully responded, “Honey, this is my family.”

Fabozzi thinks that other communities should look at the tree lighting as an example of good human kindness. He told people afterward, “I think this is what people need. People need to be more good to each other. There’s enough nonsense in this world.”

Though Fabozzi served on the community board in the past, when asked whether he plans to get involved in the future in other community activism, he was noncommittal.

“Right now, I just want to paint,” he said.

tompkins-tree-lighting-2016-12-15-v02vilprint_webweb
Albert Fabozzi, a former chairperson of Board 3, planted the tree a quarter century ago in honor of a boyfriend who died of AIDS.

Crystal Field, executive artistic director of The Theater for the New City, led the chorus in caroling. She recalled the day the tree was planted, and also the problems and issues of the East Village 25 years ago. “The community came together to solve them,” she said.

Looking at Sunday’s vibrant celebration, Fields was pleased. She was excited to see that more organizations and people have gotten involved in the event.

“This year, it has blossomed,” she said. “The audience has grown and this is the largest audience we ever had. And we know it will keep on growing and flourishing. And this is a wonderful park and it’s ours and we want always to have it and to cherish it.”