In a not-at-all subtle message to its neighbours to the north, New York City illuminated its skyline in red and white on July 1 to mark Canada Day and “celebrate the enduring friendship between Canada and New York City.”
The tribute, visible across the city, was intended as a gesture of friendship and connection and honoured the “deep-rooted cultural, economic, and personal ties between Canadians and New Yorkers, bonds built on mutual respect, shared values, and decades of cooperation, according to New York City Tourism + Conventions.”
“Our connection remains strong,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of NYCT+C. “As we celebrate Canada Day, lighting up our skyline in red and white is New York City’s way to show our heartfelt appreciation for our neighbours in the north. Our relationship with Canada matters, and we’re proud to celebrate this tribute with Love + Liberty.”
Participating buildings included the Empire State Building, the Javits Center, One Bryant Park, One Five One, One Vanderbilt, One World Trade Center and Sven.
In addition, tourism and hospitality businesses across the city and throughout the state joined together to share a celebratory message across social media platforms, wishing New York’s northern neighbours a very happy Canada Day.
New York State
Similar sentiment was displayed by New York Department of Economic Development, which offered several tributes to mark the occasion and extend “a gesture of appreciation to further bolster and honour the deep cultural ties and the longstanding history between Canada and the Empire State. They included:
- A dedicated page on iloveny.com welcoming Canadians
- A social media campaign featuring messages of appreciation and celebration
- The branded image – New York ❤️ Canada
- A digital toolkit for New York State partners to amplify the celebration
“I LOVE NY is proud to join in the spirit of Canada Day by showing our appreciation for the friendship, collaboration and mutual respect that define our cross-border connection,” said Empire State Development VP Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi. “This is our way of saying how much we value the special bond we have with our Canadian neighbours… that Canada will always have a place in New York State’s heart.
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