Riverhead’s annual “Holiday Extravaganza” drew hundreds downtown Saturday as the community’s Santa Parade marched along East Main Street and culminated in a festive tree lighting, live music and a roaring bonfire behind Town Hall — marking a shift this year from the usual riverfront location due to ongoing construction.
The festivities began late in the afternoon as the Riverhead Lions Club Santa Parade stepped off around 4:30 p.m. from Ostrander Avenue. Antique tractors chugged along behind classic cars, followed by fire trucks decked in lights and garlands that prompted squeals each time a siren whooped.
Santa and Mrs. Claus, riding in the back of a small trailer decorated to resemble a sleigh, waved to cheering children bundled in puffy coats. Parents lifted toddlers onto their shoulders for a better view, while older kids darted along the curb to catch glimpses of the procession.
A cross-section of local organizations and groups marched down Main Street, handing out candy and waving enthusiastically. Members of the Riverhead Lions Club, Riverhead VFW, the Riverhead Fire Department and Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Flanders Fire Department, a dance troupe from the Butterfly Effect Project, Falun Dafa dancers in bright yellow outfits, the Long Island Aquarium, East End Disability Associates and others participated in the parade.
RiverheadLOCAL/ Emil Breitenbach Jr.
Families began filtering onto the Town Hall campus even before the parade ended, exploring the first-ever East End Merry Mart, which had opened at 3 p.m. Vendor tents offered accessories, local art and festive treats, while food trucks drew hungry crowds.
“It’s the first time doing this here, and people sometimes don’t like change, but this turned out to be the perfect location. We’re very happy with the outcome,” Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said. “This has been the perfect way to welcome the holidays.”
At 5:30 p.m., two town trees were lit to applause, bathing West Second Street in colorful lights. From a balcony at Town Hall, Santa and Mrs. Claus waved to the crowd. Fake snow floated through the air as an East End Arts student band played classic rock and holiday songs, prompting kids to dance near the stage and older residents to hum along.
Moments later, families migrated to the rear parking lot, where the holiday bonfire — relocated from the riverfront for the first time — warmed visitors. Carrick Tree Service donated four cords of wood for the bonfire.
Children queued to enter Santa’s gingerbread house for photos with Santa and Mrs Claus.
The Riverhead Moose Lodge sponsored a free hot chocolate stand that quickly became one of the afternoon’s most popular stops. Volunteers from the Moose Lodge, Blaze Church, the Peconic Bay Power Squadron and the Riverhead Lions Club had handed out about a thousand cups by 6:30 p.m., organizer Dianne Sherman said.
“Last year we gave out almost a thousand cups, but this year is going to be pretty close to double,” Sherman said. “We have definitely exceeded expectations.”
Despite the relocation from the riverfront, the expanded downtown footprint and addition of the Merry Mart helped transform the area into a lively winter festival.
RiverheadLOCAL/Maria del Mar Piedrabuena
Local artist Sherry Davis, known for her community-centered work with upcycled materials, unveiled a new holiday sculpture she calls “The Great Holiday Weave-In.” Davis, who previously created a spherical installation on Sound Avenue, said the project grew out of a donation of more than a thousand denim waistbands she had been saving “for something meaningful.” She wove the waistbands into the shape of an oversized gift box topped with a bow, inviting the public to help complete the piece by weaving in new strips and attaching handwritten messages on colorful tags.
“I do the work with the community,” she said, adding that reading the notes has been “so wonderful.” The sculpture will be moved to the entrance of East End Arts on West Second Street, where Davis hopes it will be filled with messages by the end of the holiday season.
The “Holiday Extravaganza” is a collaborative community-wide effort by the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce, Riverhead Townscape, Riverhead Lions Club, East End Arts Council, Riverhead Business Improvement District, Riverhead Moose Lodge and Riverhead Free Library, and the Town of Riverhead, coordinated by Council Member Joann Waski.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr. and Maria del Mar Piedrabuena
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