In the News – ESB Makes Headlines in May and June

The 2023 WNBA draftees visited the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony and Observatory tour with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on April 10. The visit received coverage in the Washington Post, CT Insider, Jezebel, SF Gate, DraftKings, and Hoops Hype, and was featured in broadcasts on WNYC-FM and NBA TV.  

The Empire State Building Observatory hosted a special lighting ceremony to celebrate season two of the United States Football League with special guest Michael Strahan. The lighting and visit were featured in Newsweek and Hello Magazine, and in broadcasts on SportsZone and Fox 4. 

On May 4, the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars visited the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony in support of the American Civil Liberties Union, and ahead of the show’s eighth season. The visit was picked up by People, Parade, Women’s Wear Daily, Reuters, and the Grio. 

To honor King Charles III’s coronation, the Empire State Building welcomed British Consul General Emma Wade-Smith OBE for a lighting ceremony and media interviews at the Observatory on May 5. The building lit up in Union Jack colors the next evening. The lighting and visit were featured by several broadcast outlets, which included CBS-NY, ABC-AM, and News 12, and in print on Scripps News, Express, and Sky News.  

Buddy Holly – the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show winner – took a victory lap at the Empire State Building Observatory on May 10. The Empire State Building lit up purple and gold for the annual dog show on May 9. Buddy Holly’s visit garnered lots of media attention with broadcast mentions on ABC World News Tonight, NBC-NY, NY1, and ABC-NY. 

Pop superstar Taylor Swift released a music video for her song “Karma” that fans believe features an image of the Empire State Building. Easter Eggs and theories about the music video – with mention of ESB – were featured in Cosmopolitan and Hollywood Life.