Queens will be lighting up for the holidays in the weeks ahead, as communities across the “World’s Borough” celebrate the season’s arrival with tree lightings, concerts and special visits from the North Pole’s most famous resident.
Some of the events scheduled to take place rain, snow or shine include the following:
The Fourth Annual Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. on the Astoria Park Great Lawn, which is located at 19th Street and 23rd Avenue. There will be train rides, face painting, holiday performances, cotton candy, songs of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, Christmas carols and a tree lighting at 5 p.m.
The Bayside Village Business Improvement District and Councilman Paul Vallone present the third annual Children’s Holiday Parade along Bell Boulevard on Sunday, Dec. 4. The festivities kick off at 3:30 p.m. at 36th Avenue and Bell Boulevard and all are invited to march. Members of the NYPD and FDNY will join in the parade and free holiday treats and hot chocolate will be offered. The parade will be followed by a lighting ceremony at the Bayside Long Island Rail Road station.
There will be a holiday tree lighting ceremony at Flushing Library on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. The event will also feature singing and magic performances. The library is located at 41-17 Main St.
The Glendale Kiwanis will host the tree lighting ceremony at the Glendale Veterans Triangle on Sunday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be festival music by Joe Fuoco’s Music Center; dancers from a local dance school will perform a dance or two; and of course, Santa Claus will be taking pictures with all of the children. Local businesses will be supplying hot chocolate and gift bags for the kids.
The seventh annual Jackson Heights Winter Caroling Sing-a-Long will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17. Community members will sing winter and holiday songs from all faiths, languages and cultures as a group, while walking through Jackson Heights. Carolers will begin at 75th Street, then walk up 32nd Avenue toward 76th Street, down 76th Street toward 31st Avenue, up 31st Avenue to 77th Street and up 77th Street toward 32nd Avenue. They will then go to Cassidy’s Ale House for food and drinks.
The Maspeth Chamber of Commerce presents the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. at Maspeth Memorial Square, located at the intersection 69th Street and Grand Avenue. The ceremony will include free raffles, entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus.
Residents of Middle Village will get the holidays started in style with the community’s annual tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. on Dec. 2. The lighting will take place in front of the Community United Methodist Church, located at 75-27 Metropolitan Ave. Guests will enjoy carols from members of Girl Scout Troop 4419 from Our Lady of Hope School. The lighting is sponsored by the Middle Village Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club of Middle Village and the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association.
The Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association will hold its annual tree lighting and carol ceremony on Thursday night, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. The program will take place at I.S. 93 on Forest Avenue between Madison and Woodbine streets. Guests will enjoy music provided by the St. Matthias Adult and Youth Choirs, the Christ the King Concert Band and Chorus and pianist Stephen Haufe.
A European celebration of the holiday season will take place at Ridgewood’s Onderdonk House on Sunday, Dec. 4. The Greater Ridgewood Historic Society will celebrate St. Nicholas Day from noon to 5 p.m. with a Dutch-inspired Christmas celebration featuring crafts, carols and a tree lighting. Admission is $5 per adult; children and society members are free. The Onderdonk House is located at 1820 Onderdonk Ave.
The We Love Whitestone Civic Association, Queens Chamber of Commerce and Councilman Paul Vallone will sponsor the official lighting ceremony of the holiday lights in the Whitestone Village on Thursday, Dec. 1. Head to the parking lot of Harpell Chemists in Whitestone located at 12-65 150th St. to meet Santa and watch the lighting. The event begins at 4 p.m. and the lighting will take place at 5 p.m.
Woodhaven will have two grand celebrations of the holiday season’s arrival next weekend. On Friday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m., the community will gather to light the Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah at the Forest Parkway Plaza, located at the corner of Forest Parkway and Jamaica Avenue.
The following day, Santa Claus will come to town for the annual “Welcome Santa to Woodhaven” Parade. The march gets underway at 11:30 a.m., with participants heading westbound along Jamaica Avenue from 96th Street to 75th Street, outside the Franklin K. Lane campus.
Both events are sponsored by the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation.
The Woodside Holiday Lighting will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. at Sohncke Square Park, located on 58th Street between Woodside and Roosevelt avenues. Guests will celebrate the lighting of the park’s tree and decorations along Roosevelt and Woodside avenues. The program includes carolers, a holiday greeting from elected officials, hot chocolate and cookies and a visit from Santa Claus.
