Hundreds of people turned out last night for Greenport’s Parade of Lights and Christmas tree lighting at in Mitchell Park.
Throngs of excited children and their families lined Front Street to wait for the parade of Greenport Fire Department trucks escorting Santa and Mrs. Claus into the village. And the parade lived up to its name: Front Street was aglow with the colorful lights decorating the fire department’s shining apparatus — including its vintage 1933 fire truck that carried the guest of honor into the village.
After a performance by Greenport school’s a capella group, Greenport elementary school students sang Christmas carols, including a sing-along with the crowd. Then the winners of a grades K-6 poster contest took the stage to help Santa light the tree.
“This is the first year we’re trying this with a nighttime parade and we weren’t sure how it was going to go,” said Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard Jr. when he took the stage. “But just look around you — this is great.”
The village and the fire department teamed up this year to host the parade and tree-lighting on the same date — and to hold them both at night. They had been separate events and the parade had been a daytime occasion. Sponsors hoped the new, combined event would have a festival-like atmosphere — and it did not disappoint.
Youngsters also enjoyed free rides on the village carousel.
SoutholdLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl and Denise Civiletti
