Huntington Residents Celebrate Civic Pride
Oct. 2 Unity in the Community Day features parade, festival
Huntington Station, NY – Mark Oct. 2 on the calendar as a chance to show pride in your home town and have some fun, too, as the First Annual “Unity in the Community Day” gets underway with a parade starting at 10 a.m. along New York Avenue in Huntington Station.
Bands, floats, vintage cars, service groups and local merchants will join the march from West Hills Road to Church Street, ending at a festival in the municipal parking lot between Railroad Street and Lowndes Avenue.
“This will be truly a great day for Huntington Station and the entire Town, as we highlight all that is good in the community and celebrate what the community has to offer,” Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. The Town is one of the sponsors of the event and the Supervisor is one of three co-chairs.
Unity in the Community Day is intended to instill pride in the community, said co-chair Dolores Thompson. “We are bringing the community together by having this parade and festival. Working together hand-in-hand with police, fire departments, emergency medical corps, elected officials, non-profits and religious organizations, we create awareness and fellowship.” The third co-chair is Alvin White.
Unity in the Community Day is aligned with recommendations by the Huntington Station Action Coalition’s Community Organization/Civic Group Development subcommittee. In the report it issued in March, the Action Coalition recommended development of a public awareness campaign to inform the public about community activities and to instill civic pride.
The parade will step off at 10 a.m. from West Hills Road. Grand Marshals Paul Johnson and Marta Smith will lead the march north on New York Avenue to the festival area at Railroad Avenue. The parade will feature groups marching to show unity and pride in the community, including Huntington High School’s Blue Devil Marching Band, Huntington Manor Fire Department and other emergency service providers, and numerous community-based organizations.
The parade route ends at the festival grounds where families will enjoy a fun-filled day with activities for all ages, including live musical performances, an international food court, children’s activities and -- making its local premiere -- a state-of-the-art Gamin Ride video game trailer that is sure to be a hit with youngsters. Local businesses and non-profits will have displays. There will also be a vintage and antique auto expo.
Unity in the Community Awareness Day is being coordinated by a volunteer committee and made possible with financial support from the Huntington Station Business Improvement District and other sponsors, including Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Town of Huntington Economic Development Corp., Capital One Bank, Chase Bank, TD Bank, Bank of Smithtown, J.V. Kelly Group, Kushnick & Associates, Pederson-Krag Center, Long Island Radio Group, St. Hugh’s of Lincoln R.C. Church, Huntington YMCA and Leadership Huntington.
