Yorktown to Host Drive-Thru Holiday Lights Attraction
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the Town of Yorktown to pivot and stage its holiday traditions in a different fashion.
Instead of marching down Commerce Street to the applause of residents lined up on both sides, the 2020 Holiday Lights Parade will take place Saturday, December 5 at FDR State Park from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. The free event will feature more than 30 holiday floats that will be placed in the park so that the public can drive through the attraction.
The entrance to the attraction will be through the FDR State Park’s exit from the northbound Taconic State Parkway and vehicles will drive through parking lots 4, 3, 2 and 1, with an option to drive through the loop a second time. Visitors to the attraction are required to remain in their vehicles while driving through the attraction. Tickets and reservations are not required.
“We’re trying to find new ways—safe ways—to instill that additional holiday spirit, to show our compassion, our understanding, our love for our community,” said Supervisor Matt Slater. “These are a few ways that we’re going to be engaging in the next weeks.”
Yorktown’s virtual menorah lighting will be produced by Chabad of Yorktown. The event is on December 10 at 6 p.m. in Veterans’ Memorial Field & Track.
Yorktown’s virtual tree lighting will be December 12 at 7 p.m. in Veterans’ Memorial Field & Track. Both lighting events will be broadcast on the town’s Facebook page.
As part of the virtual tree lighting, Yorktown is launching Ornaments of Hope, a community art project that encourages residents to create their own Christmas ornaments with messages of hope, love or kindness. The ornaments should be delivered by December 10 to the recreation office at Sparkle Lake, 176 Granite Springs Road. The town will also accept ornaments delivered after December 10 and they will be placed on the tree after the tree lighting.
Ornaments of Hope was an idea proposed by Jim Poulin, president of the Yorktown Lions.
“We want families out there to make their own decorations,” said Poulin. “It will be your chance to give back to the community with something that you can’t buy. Just a simple message of kindness and love.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
