This year’s Four Corners Holiday Open House in Delmar will have a trolley instead of horse-and-buggy and a parade with Santa on a fire truck.
The open house parade and tree lighting will be held Friday, Nov. 30, and the event will continue through Saturday, Dec. 1, ushering in the holiday shopping season for the many stores in the Delmar Delaware Avenue business district.
This year is our ninth annual Holiday Open House, and we are going to have a parade starting at town hall Friday night at 6 p.m., said organizer Marlene Brookins, owner of The Little Country Store on Kenwood Avenue.
Last year’s event was a success despite starting with a brief wind and rainstorm, which forced Santa and many of the activities inside the first night.
`Every time I turn around we are getting more people involved and it’s great,` Brookins said.
More than 20 businesses from the Four Corners and farther along up Delaware Avenue are involved in preparation for the annual event.
The Future Business Leaders of America, a Bethlehem Central High School club, will help decorate the Four Corners. The parade beginning this year’s holiday open house will feature antique fire trucks, floats and Santa with elves.
`He will greet young and old, and all the events are free and open to the public,` Brookins said.
Participating stores including the Delmar Marketplace, I Love Books, Perfect Blend and CynderElla’s Subs. Those and other shops will offer free hot chocolate and cookies. Children and parents will be able to have their picture taken with Santa. The Four Corners Pharmacy will offer free trolley rides around town Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trolley rides are courtesy of Albany Aqua Ducks. The Little Country Store will also offer a sampling of gourmet food with specials on holiday candles. Area churches, including Delmar Reformed and St. Thomas the Apostle, will also hold indoor activities so people can warm up.
Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce president Marty DeLaney said this year’s holiday shopping season should be a good one because of the extended shopping time from Black Friday through Dec. 24 because of an early Thanksgiving.
`Local merchants feel positive about the fact there is a longer Christmas seasons this year to get their message out,` DeLaney said.
The first ever parade during Holiday Open House is being organized by town Supervisor Jack Cunningham’s office.
`The idea came up from a conversation I had with Terry Ritz, who restores antique fire trucks and was asked to participate in the town of Coeymans holiday parade,` said Cunningham.
Delmar and Elsmere fire departments will also be in this year’s parade.
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