Kids & Family

Anonymous Donations Bring Holiday Lights Back to Northport

Until Wednesday, it appeared that there would be no more holiday lights in the Village.

Wintertime is one of the most beautiful seasons in Northport Village as the trees on Main Street, the dock and gazebo are illuminated with a holiday glow, but until Wednesday, it appeared it would be lights out for Northport.

After eight years of the holiday lights, a gift by the late Joseph Pidel, the bulbs finally weathered and burned out.

Village trustees estimated that it would cost at least $17,000 to replace the bulbs. Deputy Mayor Henry Tobin said that the Village salvaged as many lights as they could last year to at least light up the dock and gazebo. This year, however, the lights “were shot,” Mayor George Doll said Tuesday during a Village Hall meeting.

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To many disappointed villagers, it isn’t Christmas-time in Northport without the glowing lights. When Pidel first put up the lights, he took great pride in the fact that Northport had its holiday lights put up before the White House did, Tobin said.

What happened next though, was a Christmas miracle – or at least an act of great generosity.

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On Wednesday, the Village received anonymous donations to decorate the gazebo, dock and Main Street trees with holiday lights keeping up the tradition set by Pidel.

In a press statement, Village trustees thanked residents and sponsors, and Chamber of Commerce President Debi Triolo for their efforts in bringing back the holiday lights.


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