A Tucked-Away Brooklyn Neighborhood Is Famous Citywide For Its Dazzling Holiday Decorations - Islands

"The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is raised, and dazzling light displays blanket the city, including in Dyker Heights. Located in southwestern Brooklyn, this hidden suburban neighborhood near Staten Island has achieved citywide fame for going the extra mile when it comes to decorating for the holidays. Picture homes wrapped in vivid lights from top to bottom, accented with various Christmas inflatables and figurines."

"With more than 400,000 annual visitors, it's perhaps not an exaggeration to call this seasonal New York attraction iconic. But how did it all come to be in the first place? According to an article published in The Wall Street Journal in 2023, the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights originated in the 1980s thanks to Lucy Spata, a local resident who wanted to spread holiday joy to her new neighborhood."

"According to an article published in The Wall Street Journal in 2023, the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights originated in the 1980s thanks to Lucy Spata, a local resident who wanted to spread holiday joy to her new neighborhood. However, as Tony Muia, owner of A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours, explained to BKMAG, "Lucy will tell you the reason she did it is because she felt bad for those people who are less fortunate and couldn't go to Rockefeller Center and experience the tree.""

New York City features major holiday attractions including Bryant Park's winter village and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Dyker Heights in southwestern Brooklyn has become famous for extravagant residential Christmas displays with homes wrapped in vivid lights, inflatables, and figurines. The neighborhood draws more than 400,000 visitors annually. The lights tradition began in the 1980s when resident Lucy Spata decorated to spread holiday joy and create an affordable experience for those unable to visit Rockefeller Center. Displays typically illuminate at the end of November. The most celebrated stretches are about 83rd to 86th Street near 11th and 13th Avenues.

Read at Islands