Tag Archives: LICM

LuminoCity Light Show at Eisenhower Park

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
December 20, 2025

Three generations of our family visited LuminoCity’s winter holiday light show at Eisenhower Park soon after it opened this year.

Fantasy Winter Fairyland is the theme for the stunning event, which runs through January 1, 2026.

East Meadow, New York, U.S. Nov, 23, 2025. A winged soldier points his sword at rider on her antlered steed at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Since it was 46 degrees Fahrenheit the Sunday we visited, it was see-your-breath weather. But that didn‘t stop us from having an unhurried, long visit. I arrived by 4:30 PM, and my family joined me soon after.

East Meadow, New York, U.S. November 23, 2025. Winged soldiers with their swords drawn climb on an ice archway and giant snowman at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park on Long Island. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

– Lumi’s Utopia –

East Meadow, N.Y., U.S., Nov. 23, 2025. A woolly mammoth and a saber-tooth tiger are two animals in the prehistoric section of the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

– LuminoCity 2025 –

Lumi’s Utopia was one of my favorite sections because of its collaboration with the Long Island Children’s Museum, which I’ve enjoyed going to with my young grandchildren, and blogged about in the past.

As the display in this photo explains:

“Lumi’s Utopia is an annual art initiative that transforms kids’ hand-drawn 2D artwork into handcrafted 3D light sculptures. We believe every child is a natural artist, and their drawings provide a window into their dreams, thoughts, and emotions.

“What you see here are featured works from this year’s drawing competition co-hosted by LICM, and online submissions, all inspired by the festival theme and adding even more wonder and creativity to the experience through the lens of young artists.”

PHOTOS of 3D light displays based on two of the young artists’ 2D drawings:

East Meadow, New York, U.S. Nov. 23, 2025. A princess that can fly is a display based on a drawing by MIRANDA SQUIRES, 8, at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. Squires’ drawing was one of the artworks the Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) chose to become a display. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

– Lumi’s Utopia –

East Meadow, New York, U.S., November 23, 2025. Neema the Magical Fairy is a display based on a drawing by MACKENZIE CRETTOL, 15, at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. Her drawing was one of the artworks the Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) chose to become a display. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

– LuminoCity 2025 –

East Meadow, New York, U.S. Nov, 23, 2025. A large Holiday Express train, with several cars visitors can go inside, is on display at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Though the rest of my family left around 6 PM, I stayed until after 7:30 PM to capture more photos with my Nikon Z8 camera.

While with my family, I used my newish NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lens.

After they left for dinner, I switched to my old-faithful, fun AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED lens.

For fisheye fans, I added some equipment and settings info next to the photo at the end of this post.

East Meadow, New York, U.S. November 23, 2025. Snow-covered evergreens and giant flowers are light displays at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park on Long Island. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Our family looks forward to LuminoCity becoming a winter holiday tradition.

East Meadow, New York, U.S. Nov, 23, 2025. Santa Claus, in his sleigh pulled by reindeer, is a popular Christmas display at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

LuminoCity 2025 –

East Meadow, New York, U.S. Nov, 23, 2025. The message “The best holiday gifts are the traditions that help make memories shine!…” is on a sign near the entrance of the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

FEATURE PHOTO (click: related photo): East Meadow, New York, U.S., Nov. 23, 2025. Families gather in front of the Castle in the Air at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County, Long Island. (© 2025 Ann Parry)

links for your convenience:

LuminoCity 2025 East Meadow: my PHOTO GALLERY

LuminoCity 2025

Long Island Children’s Museum

Eisenhower Park

CONTACT ME

about fisheye photo below: Nikkor Z8 camera • Nikon FTZ adaptor • 6-15mm, f/3.5-4.5E Nikkor fisheye lens • focal length 15 mm • 1600 ISO • Matrix metering • 0.8 subject distance • auto white • dimensions (before downsizing for post): 7135 x 5504 pixels • process application: DxO PhotoLab 9.2.0

East Meadow, New York, U.S., Nov. 23, 2025. Large 3D LuminoCity letters are in front of Castle in the Air at the LuminoCity holiday lights festival at Eisenhower Park. Fantasy Winter Fairyland is the 2025 theme for the fun family event in Nassau County, Long Island. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Nunley’s Carousel Reopens with a Roar 2022

Leave a reply

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
August 27, 2022

Nunley’s Carousel site • facebook • MAP • buy tickets
till 9/11/22: Thurs. thru Sun., 11 am – 4 pm

Lion & Horses & Chariot! Oh My!

VIDEO soundtrack: Billy Joel’s ‘Waltz #1 (Nunley’s Carousel)’ on Nunley’s Carousel organ • FULL SCREEN: click lower right corner

What goes around (and around) has come around on Long Island this summer!

We can once again enjoy Nunley’s Carousel, which recently reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic forced it to close in 2020.

The official ceremony on August 16th had speeches, a ribbon-cutting, and the ultimate fun treat for all – especially the many young children and their parents – a nostalgic ride on Nunley’s Carousel’s lion, 41 horses, and chariot.

• my Photo Gallery – Nunley’s Carousel reopens
(Plus, click each photo below to see larger one.)

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. August 16, 2022. Nassau County Executive BRUCE BLAKEMAN, at center, presides over the ribbon cutting ceremony when historic Nunley’s Carousel officially reopens. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

The carousel – now under the management of the Long Island Children’s Museum – is located in the Nunley’s Carousel glass pavilion on Museum Row in Garden City, It’s between LICM and the Cradle of Aviation Museum, which previously managed the carousel.

If you’d like to ride the carousel this summer, be sure to visit by September 11th, since it will be closed from September 12 to October 4, 2022 for the Long Island Children’s Museum Fall Fix-Up.

During the ceremony, Nassau County Executive BRUCE BLAKEMAN shared childhood memories of Nunley’s.

Excerpts from his speech:

Let me tell you something, I was one of those kids that grew up at Nunley’s, and I grew up in Valley Stream, probably 4 1/2 – 5 miles from Nunley’s.

And on a Sunday, if we were really good, and my 3 sisters and brother, we would be treated to going to Nunley’s. And we would ride the roller coaster, and we’d ride the other rides.

And of course, the highlight was always the carousel, and it brings back so many childhood memories to be here today.

I just talked to so many people in the community who remember vividly the first time they went to Nunley’s and they used the carousel and they took all the rides,

And you know, this carousel right here is a real work of art. It’s over 110 years old, and the fact that we could restore it is really something special.

[….]

So I couldn’t be more pleased to be here today for the opening again of the Nunley’s Carousel, a place that brought me so many great memories, childhood memories.

I have 3 sisters and a brother. They live in Arizona now. They are gonna be so jealous when I send the photos today of that.

By the way, we got to go [to Nunley’s] if we got good grades and we behaved ourselves, so obviously my sisters got to go a lot more than I did….

Based on the laughs following Blakeman’s final comment, many related to it – I certainly did!

Among those Blakeman thanked for attending:

SUZANNE LEBLANC – Long Island Children’s Museum President
SCOTT BERMAN – Long Island Children’s Museum Board Chair
ANDREW PARTON – Cradle of Aviation Museum President
GARY GRASSO – National Carousel Association Board Member
FRAN PATERSON – Nunley family representative – the great-niece of William Nunley. (photo near end of post)
GARY FARKASH – Baldwin Historical Society President

Nunley’s Carousel Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ

When the carousel first started, I was surprised the music was a recording of Billy Joel performing his ‘Waltz #1 (Nunley’s Carousel)’ on the piano. Why wasn’t the organ playing his music?

During the ceremony, the carousel organ was set so it could only play off music rolls, not MIDI files (Musical Instrument Digital Interface files)
The midi was disconnected.
Blowers providing air for the organ were on.
The pump which provides air to play pipes, and to read the music roll as it passes over the tracker bar, was also on.
To play off the MIDI files, the pump has to be turned off, and the MIDI has to be reconnected.

I look forward to my grandchildren enjoying the full Nunley’s Carousel experience in the future: riding the magnificently carved and decorated carousel horses, lion, and chariot + hearing the carousel organ playing music.

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. August 16, 2022. L-R, BETH OBERGH, of Wantagh, and BOB STUHMER, of Garden City Park, chat when Nunley’s Carousel officially reopens. Stuhmer arranged many of the songs the carousel organ plays. Obergh took care of and operated the carousel for 11 years until all carousel employees were laid off in 2020. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

When BILLY JOEL composed ‘Waltz #1 (Nunley’s Carousel)’ he had BOB STUHMER arrange it for Nunley’s Carousel organ. Stuhmer – a member of AMICA (Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association) and COAA (Carousel Organ Association of America) – gave Nunley’s a CD of music he arranged for its organ and professionally recorded on site. ‘Waltz #1 (Nunley’s Carousel)’ is the first piece on the CD. (see above photo)

Garden City, New York, U.S. August 16, 2022. L-R, ANDREW PARTON, Cradle of Aviation Museum President • [LYNNE D’AGOSTINO, Ed.D., Long Island Children’s Museum Board Member] • SUZANNE LEBLANC, LICM President • BRUCE BLAKEMAN, Nassau County Executive • GARY GRASSO, National Carousel Association Board Member • SCOTT BERMAN, LICM Board Chair • and DARCY BELYEA, Nassau County Commissioner of Parks; pose with carousel in background when Nunley’s Carousel officially reopens. Blakeman holds Historic Carousel Award 2020 plaque presented to Nunley’s Carousel by NCA. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Historic Carousel Award 2020

GARY GRASSO, a board member of the National Carousel Association, presented the Historic Carousel Award 2020 to Nunley’s Carousel. NCA had been waiting since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Long Island to present the plaque. (see above photo)

That’s the ticket

Get useful, updated info here: licm.org/nunleys

One ticket is $3 for members of Long Island Children Museum
One ticket is $4 for non-members
Ten-ticket packs are discounted

… and the Nunley’s Carousel experience is – wait for it – priceless!

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. August 16, 2022. FRAN PATERSON, of Poconos, Pennsylvania, represents the Nunley family when Nunley’s Carousel officially reopens. Paterson, the great-niece of William Nunley, rode the lead horse, her favorite. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Feature Photo (at top of post): Garden City, New York, U.S. August 16, 2022. A young girl and her mother ride on horses when historic Nunley’s Carousel officially reopens. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com).

Nunley’s Carousel Reopens: my PHOTO GALLERY

site: licm.org/nunleys

video: vimeo.com/annparry/nunleys2022

CONTACT ME

Martin Luther King Jr Day at Long Island Children’s Museum

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
January 21, 2014

Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At yesterday’s program ‘Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,’ the Long Island Children’s Museum had a room full of families with young children eager to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Garden City, New York, U.S. January 20, 2014. L-R, JESSE RIVERA; son JADEN RIVERA, 4; wife ALEXANDRA RIVERA; and son JACOB RIVERA, 5, of Sea Cliff, create artwork of peace at the program ‘Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’ at the Long Island Children’s Museum. (© 2014 Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

STACEY LEE, LICM’s Outreach Director, presented information about Dr. King’s life, and the children read his famous 1963 speech “I Have a Dream.”

Garden City, New York, U.S. January 20, 2014. STACEY LEE, Outreach Director of Long Island Children's Museum, presents the program 'Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.', where children explore Dr. King's life and then create collages of peace, for the American official federal holiday Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Garden City, NY, U.S. January 20, 2014. STACEY LEE, Outreach Director of Long Island Children’s Museum, presents program ‘Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’ where children also explored Dr. King’s life. (© 2014 Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

After exploring Dr. King’s life, children then created artworks of peace to celebrate the American official federal holiday Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Garden City, New York, U.S. January 20, 2014. L-R, AIDAN TROPEANO, 6, and his mother DEANNA TROPEANO, 30, of Levittown, create artwork of peace at the program ‘Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’ at the Long Island Children’s Museum. (© 2014 Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

MLK – LICM

Garden City, New York, U.S. January 20, 2014. JAEL CHARLTON, 6, of Freeport, reads King's 1963

Garden City, NY, U.S. January 20, 2014. JAEL CHARLTON reads King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream Speech” at the program ‘Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’ at Long Island Children’s Museum. (© 2014 Ann Parry/ann-parry.com)

FEATURE PHOTO (top of post): Garden City, NY, U.S. Jan. 20, 2014. JAEL CHARLTON, 6, of Freeport, reads King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream Speech” at the program Dreaming with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, at the Long Island Children’s Museum.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., LICM: my Photo Gallery

LICM: Long Island Children’s Museum

CONTACT ME

From Long Island

ann parry photography blog

Tag Archives: LICM

Nunley’s Carousel Reopens with a Roar 2022

Martin Luther King Jr Day at Long Island Children’s Museum