Douglaston Village Chamber of Commerce to Host Holiday Tree Lighting

The Douglaston Village Chamber of Commerce will light up the neighborhood with a holiday festival this weekend that will include Christmas carols, savory snacks and activities for children.

The ceremony, which will take place 4 p.m. Saturday at the Douglaston Market near the neighborhood's Long Island Rail Road station, is the chamber's fourth event during its inaugural year.

The group has also held a community yard sale, a show displaying the work of local artists and, most recently, a five-mile walk in honor of late Giants defensive and Douglaston resident back Dick Lynch.

"We just started this year in May," said Linda Manginaro, of Douglaston's Station Realty, which also acts as the chamber of commerce's headquarters. "So, at least every month we should be having events."

On Saturday, the chamber will dedicate a planter to Lynch and 24 others to neighborhood residents who have sponsored them.

"We did some planters in the spring," Manginaro said. "We filled the pots with annuals and then put in evergreens so they could be around all year long. We put solar lighting on each one."

The tree at the first annual holiday lighting festival will be a small one. The chamber will hold a dedication to the tree during the ceremony.

Children who attend the event will be able to take part in some crafting activities. The chamber will then travel around the community and drop by local businesses to sing Christmas carols.

Mangarino said the group is attempting to get the Community Church of Douglaston's choir to perform during the event.

The festival will end at Strawberry's Bar and Grill, located at 42-15 235th St., where refreshments will be served. The event will be free.

For more information, visit the chamber's website.