NEW YORK (AP) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg has officially kicked off the holiday season in New York City, lighting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree amid thousands of revelers crowding the area.
Bloomberg helped turn on the 30,000 energy-efficient lights dressing the tree Tuesday night.
The lighting show featured live performances by Jessica Simpson, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, British singer Katherine Jenkins and teen pop star Charice.
The event took place less than a week after the arrest of a 19-year-old Somali-American man charged in an alleged plot to blow up a car bomb at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Ore.
New York police blocked off streets and searched bags. They also urged people to use mass transit instead of cars to get there.
By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Video reviews of today's hottest trends in Minecraft (servers and mods) along with a look at the latest video games with your host MCairsoft14 (alias Jerad Zad).
Covering the world of soccer, including the World Cup, Major League Soccer, D.C. United and the English Premier League and other interesting sporting events.
Straight talk on climate science, energy economics, and public policy.
Benghazi: The anatomy of a scandal
13 Photos
Vietnam Memorial adds four names
18 Photos
Cinco de Mayo on the Mall
11 Photos
NRA kicks off annual convention
8 Photos
