Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
All Of The (Neon) Lights
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 4, 2011
Modified Mar 4, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 4, 2011
Modified Mar 4, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
When is the last time you stopped to bask in the glow of the city's neon lights? Whether they're flickering, busted, or shiny and new, Kirsten Hively is documenting what she dubs "New York's best neon signs." Check out all of her photos (each with a story) at Project Neon. Personally, we like the ones advertising cheap booze... or nice fonts.
Hively says: "I wanted to demonstrate (mostly to myself) that the quirky, independent New York is still here—it’s not all chain stores, standard-issue vinyl awnings and luxury condos. I love neon signs that have a sense of place, that feel unique and evidence their handmade origins. The glow, the colors, the hum when you get close, the flicker when they need repair. They are lively and engaging. They are landmarks, or even icons. A familiar sign can seem like a helpful friend in the dark of the city at night."
If you know of a sign you believe deserves documenting, send her a tip!
Tagged
lights
neon lights
photos
Project Neon
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Would you live on a Halloween block? These Hackensackers live for it.
A guillotine, killer clowns, clownfish: They've got it all on Clinton Place.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 29, 2026
Owl pellets and period equity: What's happening at NYC's public libraries this November
Also: Books!
By
Alec Hamilton
Arts & Entertainment
Owl pellets and period equity: What's happening at NYC's public libraries this November
Also: Books!
By
Alec Hamilton
How the Village Halloween Parade keeps its soul
By
Hannah Frishberg
'You Can See Everything' … as long as you go to Staten Island
By
Sonia Rao
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .