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Friday, November 27, 2015

Broad Channel Christmas Tree Lighting



Making The Season Bright

By Dan Guarino

Community celebrations across Rockaway and Broad Channel will start off the holiday season. 
Photos by Dan Guarino Community celebrations acrossRockaway and Broad Channelwill start off the holiday season.Photos by Dan GuarinoAs Thanksgiving leftovers are neatly wrapped up, and November turns to December, a host of new holiday celebrations are popping up in Rockaway and Broad Channel. Here are a few.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1st, the Broad Channel Christmas Tree Lighting will start at 5:30 p.m. It will take place at the Broad Channel Athletic Club’s Memorial Field at 125 Cross Bay Blvd.
There will be Christmas songs from the Broad Channel Girl Scouts, the PS 47 Chorus and a special holiday performance by Thomasina’s Dance Company.
Visitors are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for a children’s gift drive. The toys will go to children at the Cohen Medical Center’s Hematology/ Oncology department and Ronald McDonald House. Channel resident Debbie Spanburgh-O’Connor and her daughters are organizing the drive.
The Beach 116th Street Holiday Street and Christmas Tree Lighting kicks off in festive style on Friday, Dec 4.
From 4 to 6 p.m. across from the Firehouse on Beach 116th Street, all will enjoy complimentary refreshments and special holiday shopping coupons.
There will also be performances by Ms. Elaine’s School of Dance, the St. Francis de Sales Choir, J.U.M.P. Dance School, the St. Camillus Catholic Academy Choir and the PS/MS 114 Glee Club.
Santa will be making an extra special guest appearance at the event organized by the Beach 116th Street Partnership.
The Partnership along with local synagogues will be celebrating the start of Hanukkah on Sunday, Dec. 6. The Beach 116th Street Menorah Lighting Hanukkah Celebration will begin at 4 p.m.
The event honoring the Festival of Lights will take place on the center mall across from the Capitol One Bank, near Rockaway Beach Boulevard.
There will be complimentary refreshments and special coupons for holiday shopping, and the first light of the eight day holiday will be lit on the community menorah.
Sunday, Dec. 6, will also see the lighting of the popular Little North Pole at 144-03 Neponsit Ave.
The pre-show begins at 2 p.m. and features special guests including radio personalities Joe Causi and ‘Goumba’ Johnny Sialiano, along with Lucas Prata, France Jli, George Lamond and others. The main event will kick off at 3 p.m.
Many local school bands, glee clubs and dance schools will also be performing.
The Little North Pole, organized by Neponsit resident Joe Mure, is now in its 20th year.
Each year it raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The celebration of the season will continue with events large and small throughout December. Check the Wave for upcoming details.

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