Pleasantville has been holding a tree lighting ceremony since 2010 near Manville Road where the village usually gathers between 100 and 400 people. But the illumination has a new home address this year and will kick off the start to their holiday season with a new event.
This year on Dec. 7th, in the newly created civic space near the train station parking lot, from 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., revelers will be able to lace up ice skates for a picturesque holiday glide around the ice. “It adds to the ambience of the holiday season,” said Paul Alvarez, who is a village trustee and vice president of the chamber of commerce.
The installation is pretty simple & seamless. Synthetic ice provides the smooth surface, and the village hired a company that has done the work in other nearby towns to get every detail just right. “It gets put in and taken down on the same day,” said Alvarez.
The dimensions are 24 by 60 feet, includes a changing area, free skates, and while the surface resembles plastic, the town can leave theirs at home. “It’s all free. So, people can just come and enjoy themselves,” he said.
The band starts to play, and the crowd gears up for the tree lighting. Pace University students arrive with hot chocolate, the village hands out cookies and candy canes, and middle school choirs lead the holiday sing-along.
It’s a nice touch – especially for the young singers. “They love it. They really enjoy the fact that they are on the stage, and they have their friends, neighbors and siblings listening,” said Alvarez.
By 7 p.m., the numbers officially turnover. “We do a countdown, and the holiday tree and menorah get lit up,” he said.
From there, the village is hoping the good cheer will carry over. “We’re trying to encourage people to go to the local restaurants,” he said, and in turn, the eateries will offer some enticing deals.
Having attended this event himself for the last 12 years, nostalgia is what really lights him up. “I have been going to this since I was nine years old. It’s always such a nice kickoff to the holidays,” Alvarez concluded. “To hear the music, to see everyone out there with the tree, you remember the special times as a kid, and now that I have kids, it’s really nice to see them enjoying it.”
