Valley Stream opened its holiday season with the village tree lighting on Dec. 5 at Arthur J. Hendrickson Park, the centerpiece of the WinterFest events.
The lighting took place during the evening program, which included the Christmas market, food trucks, letters to Santa and hot chocolate served by the Boy Scouts. Santa arrived by fire truck around 7 p.m. to take photos in his sleigh near the gazebo and the illuminated tree. During the celebration, Santa Claus said Valley Stream was his favorite place to visit.
“Imagine taking a page from a children’s story book and transforming Valley Stream into a holiday dream come true,” Mayor Ed Fare said. “That is WinterFest.”
The tree lighting blended into WinterFest, held Dec. 4 through Dec. 7, continuing the village’s steadily expanded holiday tradition that began in 2011. The event now anchors the start of the winter season for many families and features a month-long illuminated display centered around the park’s gazebo and tree. Installation of the extensive lights and themed decorations begins around Halloween and takes 30 to 35 days, with work from multiple village departments.
“WinterFest could never be this spectacular if it were not for the great team effort of our employees who worked so tirelessly, and under some pretty difficult weather conditions, to transform Hendrickson Park into the gorgeous winter wonderland it has become,” Fare said.
WinterFest began on Dec. 4 with a soft opening featuring jitney rides, fire barrels for warmth, and children’s arts and crafts at the Community Center. The full schedule continued on Dec. 5, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, with student singing groups performing during the evening programs and families walking through the display areas. Breakfast with Santa, sponsored by McDonald’s, was held on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. The festival concluded on the afternoon of Dec. 7 with outdoor photo sessions with Santa.
In the days leading up to WinterFest, Santa made nightly runs through Valley Stream neighborhoods from Dec. 1 through Dec. 4, escorted by the Valley Stream Fire Department. Organizers noted that families often return throughout December to visit the lights, participate in activities and build personal holiday traditions around the event.
