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By: Jordan Baker
In a surprising decision, Saks Fifth Avenue has canceled its iconic holiday light show at its flagship Manhattan store, a dazzling display that has drawn crowds to Fifth Avenue for almost 20 years. The New York Post reports that the decision, attributed to cost-cutting efforts and a shift in focus, means that visitors will miss the annual yuletide spectacle this year.
“For many years, the holidays at Saks Fifth Avenue included a light show at our flagship store, and for some time, we have contemplated changing our approach,” a Saks representative told the NY Post on Monday. Instead of the intricate light show, Saks will mark its 100th anniversary by “elegantly illuminating the façade and framing the holiday windows,” placing emphasis on the store’s architectural beauty and the luxury fashion that Saks Fifth Avenue is known for, the representative added.
This change, as noted by the New York Post, is happening amid what Saks describes as a “challenging year for luxury.” Saks is now focused on managing expenses carefully to better position itself for future success. The NY Post learned that the decision to end the light show was a recent one, despite an earlier press release in October announcing that this year’s campaign would again be sponsored by MasterCard for the 15th consecutive year.
The cancellation marks a significant shift in tradition. Since 2004, the Saks light show has captivated visitors to its 611 Fifth Avenue flagship store, conveniently located near the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Originally, the show started modestly with 50 giant snowflakes blinking in time with “Carol of the Bells.” In 2010, Saks upgraded to digital projections, and by 2015, it combined both digital and physical effects, transforming the show into a multi-layered extravaganza. As the New York Post recounts, Saks’ holiday show evolved into one of New York’s signature holiday experiences.
Each holiday season, thousands gathered to see the display, which ran every few minutes from late November through early January. Last year’s show, a collaboration with Dior called “Dior’s Carousel of Dreams at Saks,” premiered to great fanfare, even featuring fireworks on opening night. The display used over 300,000 LED lights across the building’s 10-story façade, all synchronized to festive holiday music.
In place of the holiday light show, Saks will focus on its 2023 holiday window displays, which are set to showcase “outstanding pieces from the top names in luxury,” paired with colorful snowflakes, silver harlequin flooring, and decorative vinyl accents, according to the New York Post. Saks’ statement underscores its commitment to preserving a festive atmosphere, even without the famed light show that has become a winter tradition for so many.
The New York Post’s exclusive report sheds light on how this cancellation marks a significant end to a nearly two-decade tradition that celebrated the holidays in grand style. Saks Fifth Avenue has a long history of holiday displays, dating back to its founding in 1924, and over the years, it has continually elevated its approach to seasonal decorating. While Saks began with traditional holiday window displays in its early days, it wasn’t until recent decades that the store expanded into immersive light shows, setting a new bar for retail holiday displays across New York City.
