Black Friday Shopping in NYC!
Thanksgiving weekend indicates the beginning of the holiday shopping season for serious shoppers everywhere. There’s no better place than New York City for Black Friday. Although most stores keep their sales under strict cover until the Friday after Thanksgiving, some premium outlets and big name retailers have released a partial list of sales. Check out just a few of the deals awaiting all you stealthy shoppers on the busiest shopping day of the year.
Woodbury Common Outlets
(After-Thanksgiving Black Friday Weekend Sale; Midnight, November 26th- 9p.m. on November 28th, 2010; Extended sale hours for all stores: Friday, Midnight-10p.m., Saturday 7a.m.-10p.m., Sunday, 8a.m.-9pm.)
The Woodbury Common Outlets are offering amazing outlet priced deals plus additional sales percentages off. Most retailers will be open at midnight and sales will last the entire weekend. The Outlet Center will be providing light entertainment with a traveling Santa Claus and Victorian carolers.
Poconos Crossings Outlets
(November 26th- November 29th, 2010; Extended sale hours for all stores: Friday, Midnight-10pm.., Saturday, 8am..-10pm.., Sunday, 9a.m.-8p.m.)
The Poconos Crossings Outlet will be extended their sales hours in honor of Black Friday also. The stores will be offering significant additional savings, longer business hours and lower prices.
Jersey Gardens Outlet
The Jersey Gardens Outlet Center’s Black Friday sale includes discounts in retail havens like Armani Exchange, Abercrombie and Fitch, Calvin Klein, Hollister, Juicy Couture and more. Savings will begin on Friday at midnight and continue throughout the weekend.
Department Store Black Friday Shopping
Black Friday is not only reserved for the discount outlet stores, but includes department store giants that are what New York City is best known for. To peruse sale prices and beautiful window displays, visit Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Century 21, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and more.
Macy’s 84th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade
Since 1924, Macy’s has practically trademarked the tradition of parade watching on Thanksgiving Day. The bands, balloons and floats showcase the merriment of the holiday season for the entire country to see on the streets on New York City. This Thanksgiving celebration, like previous years, will feature musical performances and celebrity appearances galore. This year, Kylie Minogue has been joined the lineup and is set to perform a song from her latest album “Aphrodite”.
More celebrities and performers include India Arie, Big Time Rush, Betty Buckley, Ann Hampton Callaway, the casts of Broadway’s American Idiot, Elf, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, the Big Apple Circus, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Miranda Cosgrove, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Gloriana, Michael Grimm, Arlo Guthrie, Keri Hilson, Eric Hutchinson, Juanes, Victoria Justice, Gladys Knight, Mannheim Steamroller, Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih, Power Rangers Samurai, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Crystal Shawanda, Jessica Simpson, and Kanye West. For those of you lucky enough to be present in The Big Apple on Thanksgiving, be sure and join the 3.5 million spectators who will line the streets of NYC.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route begins on 77th St. & Central Park West and ends on 7th Ave. & 34th St. Popular viewing areas and streets include: Central Park West: West side of the street from 70th St. to Columbus Circle & East side of the street from 70th to 65th, Columbus Circle: West side of the street, 7th Ave: b/w 58th & 42nd Streets, 42nd Street: from 7th to 6th Avenues, 6th Avenue: between 42nd & 34th Streets, 34th Street: south side of street between Broadway & 7th Avenue. To secure a great observation post, stake out a spot early around 6:30a.m. and come armed with a thermos of hot coffee and warm clothing. The parade will begin at 9a.m. on November 25th and will last from 1 ½- 3 hrs. To watch the balloons get inflated, visitors can watch on Wednesday, November 24th near the American Museum of Natural History between 77th St. and 81st St.
The New York Chocolate Show
(November 11- November 14, 2010; Metropolitan Pavilion; 125 West 18th Street; $28 advance; $30 at the door; metropolitanevents.com)
November in New York City is the perfect time to indulge your sweet tooth. The annually held New York Chocolate Show will be in full effect featuring live cooking demonstrations, samplings, creative do it yourself stations and more. If this show is anything like previous shows, be prepared to witness child created chocolate artwork and chocolate wearing models in a runway show. For more information, visit www.chocolateshow.com.
The Nutcracker
(November 26, 2010- January 2, 2011; New York City Ballet, Inc.; 20 Lincoln Center Plaza David W. Koch Theater; $20-$225; for more information, visit nycballet.com)
It’s that time of year again for Sugarplum fairies to dance around your head. The Nutcracker is one of New York City’s most anticipated holiday events which has a long standing history of over 56 years. The show is sure to astound audiences as it regularly has so be sure and buy tickets early.
Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond
(October 28, 2010- January 2, 2011; American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th St.; New York, NY 10024)
Marilyn Monroe said it best, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Check out the 31.06 blue stone Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond which will be showcased at the American Museum of Natural History. For more info, visit www.amnh.org.
