It was just a week ago when the Rye Chamber of Commerce announced it was cancelling the beloved Mistletoe Magic celebration downtown. The Chamber had only been able to raise a small fraction of the $26,000 needed to fund the event. On Wednesday, the Rye Historical Society (RHS) will announce it will offer a smaller alternative celebration on Sunday, November 30th between 12:00pm – 3:00pm at the Square House and Village Green. And Light Up Rye will enter its second year wiring up the trees on downtown Purchase Street with holiday lights. That effort kicks off with a shopping stroll this Thursday at 5:00pm
Season of Giving at the Square House on Sunday, November 30
Dubbed the “Season of Giving at the Square House” the RHS has arranged for Santa’s appearance (we have been assured St. Nick is a stalwart Garnets fan) and hot chocolate thanks to the support of local real estate firms Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty and Houlihan Lawrence. The Square House Museum will feature RHS’s annual Tabletop Tree Fundraiser where visitors can bid on beautifully decorated tabletop trees from local designers. Activities in and around the Square House will include festive music, the Rye Troop 2 wreath sale and programs and crafts from the Rye Free Reading Room, Rye Arts Center and the Rye Nature Center, including the nature center’s popular “Birds of Prey” show. Meals on Main Street will collect non-perishable food items to help those experiencing food insecurity.
Light Up Rye – Throwing the Switch this Thursday
This Thursday, November 20th, the New York State championship Rye Varsity Girls Soccer team will kick off Light Up Rye with a tree lighting on downtown Purchase Street at 5:00pm. The soccer champs will be passing out candy canes and Starbucks will be handing out mini hot cocoa according the chamber of commerce. A dozen or so merchants will be staying open for a “holiday shopping stroll” from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. It will be the second year for Light Up Rye with funds raised to wire holiday lights on all the trees on downtown Purchase Street.
