By Nick Stamatakis
More than 3,000 people had the fantastic opportunity last night to enjoy a special event at Astoria’s Athens Square, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony organized by the Athens Square Park Association and the tireless efforts of Maria Markou and Gus Lambropoulos. The adjacent public school, along with Cyprus New York Productions, took part in singing the carols and performing. You can taste the event in the videos and photos below.
Even the technical problem with the lights at Athens Square benefitted the event as the Xmas tree, the tallest in the whole Queens County, looked much brighter and especially beautiful!
Our congratulations!! The Astoria community needs many more social events like this one! Our community has numerous performers in music and theater, and the talent is overflowing!!
Very nice, although where’s the hope with people wearing masks?
Why are u obscessed with masks.? It’s not politics but public health and hygiene. Asian cultures utilise them every winter re influenza .
They are a recognised measure for long time that reduces respiratory spread viral disease. I said reduce and severity, not stop , before you jump in there .
If one is fully vaccinated then in open air probably with the current covid variation , unless one has health needs such as immuno compromised etc , perfectly safe to not wear.
I recently flew from UK back to Bulgaria and wore one on the flight. I am fully vaccinated. Probably over kill re covid but good protection re ,’ flu and common cold etc. Who wants those Christmas gifts. ? If you do ,feel free.
I am against any coercion in health care as I am a health care professional , but why do you get upset as to what others do. ?
Vaccines and antibiotics ( and improved public hygiene ) have saved over last century plus , millions of lives. Especially of children!!! HALLO !! Just go and walk around any old cemetery and look at the ages on the head stones.
It’s perfectly ok for you to refuse vaccines and to see mask wearing in
health infection crisis times ,as evil etc but as a health professional I have to strongly disagree with you ON THE SCIENCE . I am not talking about covid now, but polio ,measles etc. Indeed from the Jenner small pox vaccine.
I am sooo bored and tired with u guys. Happy Christmas. Καλά Χριστούγεννα και ότι καλά για σας. !
Masks are a tiresome virtue signaling fetish and people are rightfully tired of them. If masks truly helped in Asia (where, as you point out, they have donned them for years), there would never be outbreaks of flu, covid, etc.
Freely breathing fresh air assists people with respiratory issues. In the past, one of the therapies for convalescing TB sufferers was to go to the countryside to get fresh air into their lungs.
If you have an active virus, stay home or wear a mask so you don’t pass your germs around. Healthy people do not need face coverings. Common sense.
This Astoria Christmas extravaganza is good upgrade for Astoria, NY businesses.
Anybody notice Fr Nektarios was present standing like a wooden Indian??
Happy Xmas season everyone – it’s a better one than last 3 years!
Just beautiful!
Thank goodness AB Elpidoktonos didn’t show up to spoil festivities baring his disingenuous smiles, after all. children came.
Blessings to the generous folks who make Astoria a shining light in city!