Awesome Cultural Event

This awesome cultural event comes to us from the Awesome Blossoms...

Our FYM group decided to visit one of the oldest and most popular places in the city. Time Square. People from all over the world travel to Time Square. It is also the setting for tons of famous movies and stories. Here is a brief history of this place.

(information found at) http://www.nyctourist.com/time-square-history.php

Times Square was founded with the name Longacre Square in 1904. It was later renamed after the New York Times building that became the landmark of the district. Throughout the city’s history, the movement of the wealthy further up towards Manhattan meant that the places they left became high crime areas.

Longacre Square started with some few brownstones built by a developer who saw potential for new ‘uptown’ neighborhood. People moved to the area in droves, but behind them came the brothels, pickpockets and streetwalkers. Soon the area turned into a Red Light district with dozens of brothels. In 1895 Longacre Square had a new tenant, Oscar Hammerstein, who developed a large entertainment complex. the Olympia occupied a block on 42nd St, and had three theatres.During this time, a lot of new theatres opened on The Great White Way, so named for Broadway’s famous light show. The vaudeville circuit found success along with legitimate theatre. In 1904, the New York Times held a New Year’s Eve event to celebrate their successful effort to rename Longacre Square. Their building was the second tallest in Manhattan and became the symbol for a new, vibrant era. Every year since this first celebration, hundreds of thousands of people gather and wait for hours for the well known and anticipated ball drop ceremony. Times Square became the premiere theatre district in the United States during the First World War. During the 1914-15 season, 113 productions were staged all within the 13 block area. During this time, films were becoming a big part of popular culture and with them came a lot of openings of new film theatres in the square and around the city.

When the Great Depression hit, the theatres and restaurants in Times Square initially seemed immune from the economic collapse. But as time went on, many theatre owners were forced to sell or close. The theatres were converted to show popular and vastly cheaper Hollywood movies. Businesses needed something to draw people in to the area, and Times Square’s era of vice began. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, live nude shows, erotic bookstores, and X-rated movie theatres dominated the area. With this new reputation came a higher crime rate that turned the area into one of the most dangerous parts of New York. Beginning in the 1980’s, businesses and city officials began to change the square. New legislation and building condemnation began to reverse Times Square’s bad reputation. By 1993 there were 36 adult businesses, down from 140 in the 1970’s.

During the 1990’s, Times Square became a new symbol for the vibrancy of Manhattan. It is the only place in New York City where tenants are required to display big neon signs. Boasting an estimated 26 million annual visitors each year, Times Square has changed in a lot of ways since it was founded 100 years ago. On Broadway you can stop to shop in a toy store while on your way to a show of Disney’s The Lion King, a big difference from the area’s squalid years, but keeping with the area’s tradition of entertainment and commerce.

You can find just about ANYTHING in Time Square! There are hundreds of shops and stores lining the streets. In these stores you can find all types of New York gear! (Purses, T-shirts, piggy banks, postcards, pens…the list goes ON AND ON.) On our adventure we found a gift shop that was selling 15 NYC postcards for only $1!!! There are also tons of food restaurants and not to mention the notorious street vendors, where you can find anything from hot dogs, to fake designer purses. We saw people waiting in a line around the block just for some Ray’s pizza! We also were tortured to go into the HUGE M&M’s store… A 3 story store filled with nothing but M&M products…DANGEROUS.

There is also an endless supply of entertainment in Time Square. You can always find a couple street performers working to entertain the crowd for money. They range from a man dress like lady liberty, or a musician, or dancers, the list goes on. When we visited Time Square we saw some friendly children’s characters. Unfortunately Elmo and Minnie Mouse wanted to charge us a dollar to take a photo with them…I guess they are just too famous for us. On the higher end of entertainment, you can find a variety of Broadway shows located in or near Time Square. Some people wait in line all day for a chance to get tickets to a Broadway show. Time Square is the home of TKTS. This is a spot where people can get inexpensive Broadway tickets the day of a show by waiting on the large platform directly in the middle of Time Square. They must be really dedicated! This spot is turning into a big landmark in Time Square. You may also find all types of artist selling their work along the street.

Time Square seems to be always full of people! This might be why marketing and billboard advertisement in this area is so popular. If you look up in any direction, you are bound to see huge signs of advertisement! Whether its a Gap ad or an Ad for a Broadway show or an upcoming movie, the selection is constantly changing. With each trip to Time Square, you are bound to see new things, new events, new shops, new food and new people, making it one of the most cultural places in the city!