Santa Claus is coming to Westchester Square!
The Westchester Square Business Improvement District Holiday Celebration will be held on Thursday, December, 11, from 4 until 7 p.m. at Owen Dolen Park.
The second annual event is sponsored by Healthfirst.
This edition’s festivities include a chance to meet and take pictures with Santa at his village as well as enjoy a special visit from two of Old Saint Nick’s reindeer.
Toys will be available for distribution to children ages 1 to 12, while supplies. Attendees will also be treated to beautiful renditions of timeless Christmas classics sung by yuletide carolers who will travel around the Square and into the local stores.
Councilman James Vacca will be presiding over the yuletide celebration and will be joined by Santa Claus for the tree lighting ceremony.
“I’m very excited about it and we’ve been doing a lot of work with the BID and I am very impressed with all of their work,” expressed the councilman.
“The holidays are upon us and the Square is doing something through the BID which is bringing people back there and I want to be in support of this effort. Christmas holds a very special place within children’s hearts and this event brings families together,” he added.
Westchester Square BID was established two years ago after the Westchester Square Merchant Association, Vacca, and Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. saw the potential of transforming the area into a popular destination for shoppers and residents. The overall mission of BIDs have always been to encourage the revitalization of neighborhoods while also fostering economic development throughout New York City.
“This Holiday Celebration is great for the community because it brings people to Westchester Square for a holiday event and presents an opportunity to help get people back into those stores within the area,” explained the councilman.
Last month, Vacca and WSBID hosted a successful first annual Halloween event in the Square and they are looking to exceed these previously impressive results.
Lisa Sorin has served as WSBID’s executive director since its inception and revealed the significance behind this year’s holiday celebration.
“This year has become a celebration and we have so many successes to celebrate,” divulged Sorin. “We decided if we’re going to go big, let’s go huge! We have a beautiful 20-foot tree we call the ‘Rockefeller Center Tree of the Bronx’ and the truly real Santa will be there for the children to meet inside his village.
“It’s also about bringing the real reindeer here for the children and having them witness something they don’t normally see here in the Bronx. This year’s huge event is about celebrating and reaching out to the entire community. It’s through Councilman Vacca’s generosity along with the borough president that we have the park for the celebration. We want people to come here.”
According to Sorin, last year’s holiday celebration drew over 100 people, but its main focus was the tree lighting ceremony. Instead of dividing these events into separate days, they will be brought together.
“It was a really huge celebration last December and people got a real kick out of the carolers,” Sorin explained. “Last year was a very emotional time for us because it was our first holiday celebration. This year is all about giving back to the community and it will combine all of these events into one day.”
For further information, call (718) 597-4629 or visit www.wsbid.org.
“It’s going to be fun, creative, and full of surprises that aren’t found anywhere else and we’re privileged to be hosting this,” she expressed. “The councilman and the BID really outdid themselves this year and we want people to come here expecting the best.”
