East Hampton Village Holiday Festivities Canceled Due to Weather

UPDATE: East Hampton Village officials have canceled the annual Santa Parade, which had been set for 11 AM this morning, due to expected rain and high winds. 

The village will make an announcement about this evening‘s planned Christmas tree lighting on the Hook Mill later today.

ORIGINAL STORY: East Hampton Village will kick off a month of holiday activities this coming weekend — with a parade!

The annual Santa Parade, sponsored by the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce, will take place in the village on Saturday, December 3. Santa, Mrs. Claus and their helpers will lead the parade of local emergency responders and civic organizations down Main Street and Newtown Lane, starting at 11 a.m.

At 4 p.m. that afternoon the village will hold its Christmas Tree lighting. The tree lighting this year will be at the Hook Mill and the festivities will begin at 4 p.m.

On December 10 Santa will return to the village — this time by helicopter. The East Hampton Village PBA and East Hampton Village Foundation, with the cooperation of the Suffolk County Police Department Aviation Unit, will welcome Santa’s arrival in a SCPD helicopter into Herrick Park at noon. Santa will greet the crowd then take a police escort to the United Artists Cinema on Main Street where he and the first 255 members of the public to line up will be treated to a free screening of “Polar Express” along with complimentary popcorn and sodas, courtesy of the PBA, the EHVF and the event’s other sponsors.

“This is something we did back in 1997 and I thought it was a fun event so we’re bringing it back this year, it should be great,” Mayor Jerry Larsen said of the Santa airlift. “It should be a great holiday season for everybody.”

On December 18, the first night of Hanukkah, the Chabad of the Hamptons will hold a ceremonial lighting of the menorah at the Hook Mill at 3:30 p.m. The following night, December 19, the Jewish Center of the Hamptons will hold its own menorah lighting ceremony at 5 p.m.