Make a Wish and Watch It Glow at Downtown’s New Art Installation, “Star Light Star Bright”

As 2024 winds down (yes, we know, it was just June), we’re inviting New Yorkers to take stock of their wishes for the new year and help us create something magical in Lower Manhattan. From November 21 to January 9, locals and visitors alike can engage with our “Star Light Star Bright” installation by attaching their “wishes” to the brightly lit star structure on the plaza at 140 Broadway.  

Created by design studio Hou de Sousa, “Star Light Star Bright” takes inspiration from the cross-cultural tradition of wish trees. In this practice, people attach their wishes to special wishing trees in the form of writing, artwork, ribbons and cloth in hopes of having their deepest desires granted. Our wish tree is a little different — it takes the form of a star, with 1,200 colorful chains lining its large steel frame. Visitors are invited to tie colorful “wish ribbons” representing their hopes and dreams to the 75,000 links in the chains. As each ribbon is added, the installation grows larger, like a a fluffy fluorescent winter coat, reminiscent of a neon Chia Pet. “Star Light Star Bright” isn’t just a way to ruminate on our individual hopes and dreams; it also highlights the universal hopes that connect us all, and the beauty that we can achieve together as a community. 

To participate in “Star Light Star Bright,” you can pick up a ribbon with a pre-printed wish from one of our local wish partners, bring it back to the plaza and add it to the artwork directly. (You’ll find a full list of wish partners at the bottom of this post.) If you’d like a blank ribbon where you can write a wish of your own, grab one at one of our lunchtime events at the 140 Broadway plaza where we’ll be handing them out along with free refreshments from local businesses. Plus, there’ll be live music! It all starts with a kickoff event on November 21, with gratis snacks from Cookie Odyssey. Events run from noon to 2 p.m.; here’s the full event list:

Thursday, November 21

• Refreshments: Pi Bakerie/Cookie Odyssey
• Live music: New York Collective featuring Svetlana Shmulyian

Wednesday, December 4

• Refreshments: La Parisienne
• Live music: New York Collective featuring Alphonso Horne [UPDATE 12/3:  Christopher McBride will be performing instead.]

Wednesday, December 11 Thursday, December 12 (rain date)

• Refreshments: Simpl Coffee
• Live music: New York Collective featuring Gina Soto

Wednesday, December 18

• Refreshments: Blue Spoon
• Live music: New York Collective featuring Svetlana Shmulyian

For pre-printed ribbons, peruse this full list of wish partners — we’re so grateful for their participation! Be sure to check out the embedded map below and our interactive Google Map for their exact locations. Happy wishing!

 Shops/Restaurants/Cafes:

1. La Parisienne
2. Pi Bakerie
3. Blue Spoon Coffee Company
4. Simpl Coffee
5. Conwell Coffee Hall
6. Hana Nails
7. Pride Optical
8. Peachy Studio FiDi
9. Martin Busch Jewelers 
10. Swiss Precision Watchmaking
11. Art to Ware
12. City Blossoms
13. Barclay Rex Pipe Shop
14. Century 21
15. Pretty Well Beauty
16. The Common Ditch Social
17. Simply Wine
18. Fraunces Tavern
19. Underground Pizza
20. Crunch Fitness – FiDi
21. Downtown Yogurt World Trade Center

Hotels:

22. Mint House at 70 Pine
23. New York Marriott Downtown 
24. Hotel Indigo at 55 Trinity Pl. 
25. AC Hotel New York Downtown
26. Courtyard New York World Trade Center Area
27. Residence Inn Manhattan/World Trade Center
28. Millennium Downtown New York
29. Gild Hall, A Thompson Hotel
30. The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel

Cultural Institutions: 

31. Federal Hall
32. Battery Park City Library
33. Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) 
34. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
35. China Institute in America
36. Mercer Labs
37. Trinity Church
38. St. Paul’s Chapel
39. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine
40. South Street Seaport Museum
    

Downtown Alliance Kiosks:

41. Bowling Green
42. Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

And a special thanks to our other wish partners:

43. 140 Broadway
44. 120 Broadway 
45. 7 World Trade Center
46. 4 World Trade Center
47. Pine Street School 
48. Trinity Commons Afterschool Program
49. A School Without Walls
50. High School of Economics and Finance
51. Big Bus Tours
52. New York Presbyterian Hospital

main photo: rendering courtesy Hou de Sousa