The Fifth Avenue Snowflake for Humanity Foundation has revealed that the annual Snowflake Ball, a New York City tradition dedicated to humanitarian causes during the holiday season, will return for the first time since 2019.
It will be held Nov. 22 at The Pierre hotel’s Grand Ballroom, and Citymeals on Wheels will be this year’s beneficiary. The foundation will honor Daniel Boulud, the French chef and restaurateur, recognizing his work as chair of the board of director of Citymeals that serves homebound elderly New Yorkers and has delivered 70 million meals since 1981.
During the 200th anniversary of the historic Fifth Avenue, the gala will recognize the Fifth Avenue Association on its mission to maintain Fifth Avenue as one of the most iconic luxury retail boulevards in the world.
As part of the holiday tradition, the Stonbely Family Foundation will once again illuminate the Fifth Avenue Snowflake from Nov. 22 through January. It is positioned at the intersection of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, stands 30 feet tall and contains 16,500 individual crystal prisms. The massive 3,300-pound snowflake underwent a transformation in 2023, adding high-intensity, full-color LED lights and new algorithmic patterns displaying more than 760,000 colors and hues.