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Photos: "Lucky 13" Lights Arrive In Times Square For New Year's Eve
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 20, 2012
Modified Dec 20, 2012
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Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 20, 2012
Modified Dec 20, 2012
Share
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The New Year's numerals have arrived in Times Square! Yesterday the number "13" made its way via truck (remember when the "8" took the subway?) to the "Crossroads of the World," joining up with the veteran "20." Here are a bunch of other numbers to distract you from THE NUMBER 13: lalala the numbers are 7' tall and are fitted with custom designed Philips LED light bulbs—all in all there are 529 LED bulbs in the 2013 sign (145 bulbs in the "2," 164 in "0," 72 in "1," and 148 in the "3").
AHHHHHHHHH!
At the press conference, president of the Times Square Alliance, Tim Tompkins, acknowledged at its arrival that "some people, they get nervous about number 13. They feel that it has a bad rap, or maybe it's not a lucky year coming up. We think 2013 will be an amazing year." One of the producers of the big light show seconded the sentiment, smiling through a nervous sweat and saying the lights "really change that whole spirit of 13."
If you want to see them in person before they get hoisted above Times Square, the numbers will be at the Times Square Museum & Visitor Center at 47th Street and 7th Avenue until December 26th. Maybe bring some sage to burn away the "13" mojo (CAN'T HURT).
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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