Fire Departments from as far away as North Tarrytown joined Huntington’s volunteer firefighters, veterans and businesses in marching in the parade that began at New York Avenue and Holdsworth Place and continued onto Main Street before ending at West Neck Road.
Standing on the reviewing stand at Wall Street stage and addressing the crowd, Councilman Mark Cuthbertson led the countdown that ended with trees being lit simultaneously at the street festival, on the lawn at Town Hall, on the Village Green and at the intersection of Park Avenue and Pulaski Road. Joining Councilman Cuthbertson were U.S. Rep. Steve Israel; Council Members Susan Berland, Glenda Jackson and Mark Mayoka; Tax Receiver Ester Bivona; and Legis.-elect Dr. William Spencer.
The parade and festival were sponsored by the Town, the Huntington Village and Huntington Station Business Improvement Districts, the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, the Huntington and Huntington Manor Fire Departments and the Huntington Chiefs’ Council.
Building on the success of the 2011 inaugural parade, this year’s version included competitions for best float and best store decorations. The winners were: Best Fire Department Float, Huntington Fire Department; Best Commercial Float, Huntington Coach Corp.; Best Non-Profit Float, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce; Best Business Decorations, Ben’s Garden (First Place), Fern’s Gifts and Collectibles (Second Place) and Little Switzerland Dolls (Third Place). The Fire Department Float Competition was sponsored by Value Drugs and the Store Decorations Competition was sponsored by the Huntington Village BID.
The menorah at the Village Green will be lit after a ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 21 at Town Hall, led by Rabbi Asher Vaisfiche of Chabad of Huntington.
