12 ways to commemorate 9/11 anniversary in NYC

Wednesday marks the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the day that changed New York City forever. For New Yorkers looking to honor the anniversary of 9/11, the city is hosting several commemoration events, including the annual reading of the names of the victims, moving performances at Lincoln Center and in Times Square, and the Tribute in Light installation.

23rd Annual 9/11 Anniversary Commemoration
September 11 at 8:30 a.m.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum will host the 23rd annual commemoration at its memorial plaza, featuring the in-person reading of victims’ names by their family members. The ceremony will also include six moments of silence, marking the times when the World Trade Center towers were struck and fell, as well as the times of the Pentagon attack and the crash of Flight 93.

The museum is closed to the public on September 11, but you can watch the name readings on television and live-streamed here.

Tribute in Light
Lower Manhattan

First presented six months after the September 11 attacks, “Tribute in Light” has become an iconic symbol of New York City’s perseverance, and serves as an opportunity to remember the lives that were lost on that day.

Located on the roof of the Battery Parking Garage south of the 9/11 Memorial, the commemorative public art installation features twin beams that are projected four miles into the sky, resembling the shape and orientation of the Twin Towers. The beams can be seen from a 60-mile radius around lower Manhattan.

“Table of Silence” at Lincoln Center
September 11 at 8:10 a.m.
Josie Robertson Plaza, Lincoln Center

“Table of Silence” is a powerful annual public performance held at Lincoln Center that calls for peace. Conceived and choreographed by Jacqulyn Buglisi in 2011 and performed by the Buglisi Dance Theatre, the event commemorates the lives lost on 9/11 and honors the bravery of those affected by acts of war, terror, and oppression.

This year, the dance company will perform the original full-scale version of the work with more than 150 dancers as they slowly ascend onto Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center to the haunting sound of violins, flutes, saxophones, trumpets, bells, vocalists, and the “heartbeat” of bass drums.

The dancers will perform 12 ritualistic gestures repeated in sequences of 10 and form three concentric circles around the Revson Fountain, creating a peaceful labyrinth. At 8:46 a.m., the dancers will raise their arms toward the sky in a gesture of universal peace.

Vangeline Theater performance in Times Square
September 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Times Square

Join the Vangeline Theater in Times Square for their annual tradition of honoring the victims of 9/11 with a free public performance. First held in 2003, the event features a traditional Japanese Butoh procession. Attendees are encouraged to bring a flower to contribute to the performance.

Notes of Tribute: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial Lights
September 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, the final resting place for over 100 victims of the September 11 attacks, is holding a memorial event on one of its hills with a view of the city skyline and the tribute lights. The event will feature words of remembrance and a reading of the names of the 9/11 victims memorialized at the cemetery. The event is free but advanced registration is required.

9/11 Memorial Service at Midtown Firehouse
Eighth Avenue and 48thStreet
September 11 at 8:30 a.m.

On September 11, Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 lost all 15 responding members, marking it the hardest-hit firehouse in NYC. Since then, the firehouse has hosted an annual ceremony to honor the firefighters who perished that day. The event takes place in a park near the firehouse, located at Eighth Avenue and 48th Street, at 8:30 a.m., according to NY1.

The Daffodil Project

Founded in 2001 by the nonprofit New Yorkers for Parks’ as a living memorial to the victims of 9/11, the Daffodil Project is the largest annual volunteer effort in NYC history. Since it was conceived, the project has distributed more than nine million daffodil bulbs which are then planted in communities across the five boroughs and celebrated as they bloom in the spring. You can join the waitlist for one of the project’s pickup points here.

Staten Island “Postcards” Memorial Ceremony
North Shore Waterfront Esplanade, Staten Island
September 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Designed by architect Masayuki Sono, “Postcards” is a memorial dedicated to the 263 Staten Island residents who died in the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Built to resemble two postcards, the memorial’s design is meant to create a space that connects the victims back to their loved ones, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s website.

Adjacent to “Postcards” is a separate memorial honoring the 73 Staten Island first responders who have died in recent years due to exposure to harmful substances at the World Trade Center site.

This year, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella will lead a memorial ceremony at 6:30 p.m., according to NY1.

Brooklyn-Bedford Park Memorial Candle Vigil
Bill Brown Park Handball Court, Sheepshead Bay
September 11 at 6:30 p.m.

The Brooklyn-Bedford Park 9/11 Memorial Committee will hold its 23rd annual candlelight vigil at the handball court in Bill Brown Park on Avenue X between East 24th Street and Bedford Avenue. The event will take place in front of a mural commemorating hundreds of Brooklynites who lost their lives in the attacks, according to Brooklyn Paper.

Asser Levy Park Memorial Tribute
Corner of Surf Avenue and West 5th Street, Coney Island
September 11 at 4 p.m.

Coney Island residents will leave flowers and light candles at Asser Levy Park to honor all of those who lost their loved ones on 9/11, and to commemorate the 18 Brooklyn residents memorialized on a plaque inside the park, according to Brooklyn Paper.

American Veterans Memorial Pier Memorial
69th Street and Shore Road, Bay Ridge
September 11 at 7 p.m.

Join elected officials, law enforcement, and servicemembers for a day of remembrance at the American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge. Hosted by Council Member Justin Brannan and State Sens. Andrew Gounardes and Sen. Iwen Chu, the ceremony will include stories and speeches honoring community members lost in the tragedy.

Annual 9/11 Interfaith Service
September 11 from 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, Brooklyn Heights

The Brooklyn Heights Interfaith Clergy Association will hold its annual 9/11 Observance service on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade on Montague Street. Attendees are invited to sing, pray, and reflect on 9/11 while viewing the Manhattan skyline and the Tribute in Light.