Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils Its Brand-New Holiday Window and Light Show Experience

Bringing holiday excitement within a safe and comfortable live-streamed experience with Saks Lights Up Fifth Avenue.

  • Author: Valerie Stepanova
  • Images courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

A leading shopping destination for all-channel luxury experience, Saks Fifth Avenue is taking things to the next level this holiday season with a reimagined, one-of-a-kind event concept titled, Saks Lights Up Fifth Avenue. In lieu of closing down Fifth Avenue for a single large-scale performance, Saks Fifth Avenue President and CEO Marc Metrick teamed up with former 14-time All-Star New York Yankee and A-Rod Corp CEO Alex Rodriguez (alongside his beautiful fiance JLo) to kick off the first of many intimate yet socially-distanced holiday celebrations. The events can be live-streamed by viewers and fans around the world, bringing holiday excitement within a safe and comfortable experience at home.

”At Saks, it is our priority to create unique and memorable experiences that connect with our customers in a meaningful way,” said Metrick. ”We recognize that celebrations during this time will take many forms. As such, this holiday season, more than ever, our customers are looking to Saks for the fun and escapism for which we are known. After several challenging months for New Yorkers and those around the world, Saks is proud to continue this long-standing tradition and deliver our annual gift to New York as a part of our commitment to revive the city for our community, customers and associates.”

In the weeks to follow, the Saks Lights Up Fifth Avenue ceremonies will feature prominent members of the fashion and entertainment communities, as well as New York City notables, lighting up the Saks New York flagship each night from inside a Fifth Avenue window. Each event will benefit a charitable cause, with $100,000 in donations to be made over the course of the holiday season to non-profit organizations serving New York City and beyond — starting with a donation to Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, an organization dedicated to saving and enhancing the lives of New York City youth by providing a safe, stable, supportive environment in some of the city’s most under-resourced neighborhoods. ”There is nothing better than spending the holiday season in New York City with my family,” Rodriguez said. “The lights, the tree at Rockefeller Center and the festive spirit is something we look forward to every year. It truly is the greatest city in the world. To me, this season is about giving back and thinking of others rather than ourselves. A lot of amazing things can be done when people come together and pay it forward. The Boys & Girls Club really shifted and perhaps saved my life. That’s why I am so happy to give back to that organization this season and create opportunities for the next generation.”

The theme for this year’s event, This is How We Celebrate, shines a light on the importance of spending time with loved ones and the different ways people and places across the country celebrate. The center six windows will showcase how different people celebrate in iconic settings around the city, with each over-the-top celebration scene bringing a different quintessential New York moment to life:

  • A musical celebration on bustling Broadway in Times Square
  • A classic barber shop getting a visit from some adorable kids and their pets, wanting to look their best for the New Year celebration
  • A couple on their way to deliver gifts via the Roosevelt Island tram
  • An aspiring dancer getting an autograph from her ballerina idol
  • A celebration surrounding the neighborhood food truck at a holiday block party
  • A friendly competition of holiday lights and decor at neighboring houses in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

Beyond the featured windows, Saks is showcasing a variety of unique celebratory moments in visual displays, both in windows and throughout the store: designer fashion from brands such as Alexander McQueen, Dries van Noten and Valentino, floating windows, Mylar-wrapped trees, scattered musical instruments and ephemera. The Saks’ annual light show is also getting a makeover this year, with a dazzling display of LED lights on the facade and a world-premiere music medley saluting different holiday traditions set to accompany the event.

Events will be live-streamed on select weekdays, now through Wednesday, December 23, 2020 beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST, with recordings available to view through Sunday, January 3, 2021. Visit saks.com/holiday to access the experience, or connect via Instagram and Facebook and follow #SaksHoliday for insider access.

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