If your office is in Midtown, you'll probably need to plan an after-work drink far far from Midtown, because tonight is the annual bloody Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. The extravaganza—Mary J. Blige! Sting! Carly Rae Jepsen! Mayor de Blasio!—begins at 7 p.m., but the NYPD warns that the "heavy traffic" will start at 3 p.m. and won't end until 11 p.m.
The following streets will be closed to cars starting at 3 p.m., until after the tree is lit: 48th, 49th, 50th, and 51st Streets between Avenue of the Americas and Fifth Avenue. As for pedestrians, the NYPD says, "Spectators are urged to use mass transit to attend the event and are reminded that umbrellas, backpacks and/or large bags are prohibited." Also, don't bring your freaking drone what is wrong with you.
Once the tree is lit, the 30,000 energy efficient LED lights will staying flickering every day from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. through January 7, 2016. However, on Christmas Day, the tree will be blazing for 24 hours and on New Year's Eve, it will go dark at 9 p.m.
Last year, the tree lighting coincided with the decision not to indict NYPD cop Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, sparking outraged protests outside Rockefeller Plaza during the ceremony.
