Newest addition to lineup of activities in Huntington Village Nov. 26 gives kids chance to win free ice cream
The committee organizing the Seventh Annual Holiday Parade and Festival in Huntington Village announces details of the newest addition to the daylong schedule of events for November 26: a scavenger hunt that will lead children (and their parents) on a fanciful tour of village merchants and allow them to collect pieces of a puzzle that, when completed, they can redeem for a free ice cream.
The hunt will is open to children aged five to 12 and will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on the 26th. Participants will register at KidzHitz, 304 Main Street, where they will receive a game board and the clues that, when solved, will take them to the 12 locations where they can pick up their puzzle piece: a sticker that they paste onto their game board. When the game board is complete, participants will return to KidzHitz, where, after presenting their completed puzzle, they will receive coupons for a free music lesson at KidzHitz and a free kid’s cup or cone at Ben & Jerry’s, three doors down from KidsHitz.
The scavenger hunt is one of many family-centric activities scheduled for the day and evening, aimed at providing entertainment for children while adults participate in Small Business Saturday, all of which is a prelude to the spectacular parade that begins at 6 p.m. and the festival that follows on Wall Street. From crafts by day at the Huntington Public Library and Panera Bread to bounce houses during the festival and a chance to tell Santa what they want him to bring them, as well as free hot chocolate, cotton candy and hot roasted chestnuts, children (and their parents) will find a whole day of fun in Huntington Village.
Everybody is invited to stop by the Paramount Theater and the former Freedman Jewelers on New York Avenue to cast their votes for the best gingerbread houses in two categories: commercial bakeries and home bakers.
People can use their smart phone to keep track of the schedule of events, as well as special discounts offered by merchants and parade and parking details by accessing the interactive map . It provides information about participating merchants and any offers they might have related to Small Business Saturday or the Holiday Parade, as well as the parade route and parking information. The interactive map also contains a printable sheet of coupons.
The parade, which draws between 5,000 and 10,000 people to the Village, will kick off at 6 p.m. from the Big H Shopping Center on New York Avenue and will proceed north to Main Street and then west on Main Street to West Neck Road. It will be led by grand marshal Sal Valentinetti, the Bethpage pizza delivery man who wowed millions on the television program “America’s Got Talent.”
The parade will include competitions for the best floats in several categories, with judging based on how well they follow the theme of the parade, “Cartoon Holiday.” The friendly competition among fire departments is particularly fierce, because the winning department gets to choose who gets to play Santa Claus in the 2017 parade. Businesses and organizations are also encouraged to participate.
By popular demand, The North Shore Pops, which calls itself Long Island’s favorite concert band, will again perform immediately after the parade, playing in front of the holiday tree, which has become a popular picture and gathering spot throughout the holiday season. In what should be a highlight of the evening, Valentinetti will sing a few holiday numbers with the Pops.
The Pops’ performance will be one of many throughout the day, with carolers strolling through the village. There also will be musical performances on and in front of the reviewing stand before the parade.
After the tree lighting ceremony, the festival will continue on Wall Street. A DJ will take over to maintain the festive mood, as children pay a visit to Santa Claus, get their faces painted, play in the bounce houses, or enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate, compliments of Christopher’s Restaurant, Almarco and Huntington Panini.
Free parking will be available at the Huntington train station, with a convenient free shuttle from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.