From The Harlem Times Culture Desk.
The holiday season gets an early start uptown tonight. The 125th Street Business Improvement District (BID) hosts its annual Legacy Awards Reception this evening, Friday, November 6, honoring C. Virginia Fields.
According to a media advisory from the BID, the reception celebrates “Trailblazers Lighting the Way,” the theme of this year’s Harlem Holiday Lights parade. Fields made history as the first Black woman elected Manhattan Borough President. She also served as a City Council Member and as CEO of the nonprofit National Black Leadership Commission on Health.
The evening includes an award presentation to Fields and music by Afro Latin jazz performers Belongó. Expected guests include BID President & CEO Barbara Askins, BID board members, Manhattan Community Board 9, and community partners, according to the advisory.
The reception also previews Harlem Holiday Lights, which the BID calls New York City’s only parade of holiday lights. It is set for Tuesday, November 17 (rain date Tuesday, November 24), with more than a dozen lit-up floats, FDNY vehicles and dozens of watch areas, the BID says. This year’s grand marshal is DJ Webstar.
The Harlem Times will follow up with photos from tonight’s reception.
Featured photo: C. Virginia Fields. Photo: AIDS.gov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
When: Tonight, Friday, November 6, 2026. Doors open 6 p.m.; program 6:30–8 p.m.
Where: The Forum at Columbia University, 601 W. 125th Street at Broadway
Parade: Harlem Holiday Lights, Tuesday, November 17 (rain date November 24)
More: harlembid.com and harlemlightitup.org