HARLEM, (PIX11) - The holiday season has officially arrived in Harlem.
The 31st Annual Parade of Lights, with a record 20 floats, made its way through the neighborhood on Tuesday night. It is the official kick-off for the newly designed light streamers that are now illuminating 125th St from 5th Avenue to Broadway.
The parade theme was "Dance! Harlem's Heartbeat". It honors Harlem's historical legacy of dance across generations.
Barbara Askins, the President and CEO of the 125th Street Business Improvement District tells PIX11 News "We have a new design, more music, more floats, more community involvement, more culture, more business participation, more watch parties, Harlem is really coming out this year!"
Misty Copeland, principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre and Founder of the Misty Copeland Foundation, served as parade Grand Marshal. "It's such an honor, and to be in this community with such a rich history of music, dance, and culture, it's an honor."
The Legacy Award Recipient is George Faison, the Founder of the Faison Firehouse Theater and the first African American to win a Tony Award for Choreography for the Wiz (1975).
The light streamers will remain up on 125th Street until the second week of January.
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