On Saturday, Nov. 29, the Town of Wallkill in Orange County, New York, welcomed the holiday season with its annual holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony at the Galleria at Crystal Run. Running from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the celebration drew families, community groups, local students, and visitors for an evening of festive cheer, highlighted by a dazzling drone display above the shopping center. The tree lighting took place at 6 p.m., marking the finale of the event.
Hosted by the Town of Wallkill in partnership with The Galleria at Crystal Run, the celebration is a long-standing tradition and separate from the City of Middletown’s holiday parade and tree lighting held the previous night.
Community groups share their holiday spirit
Many local organizations participated in the parade, including community associations, cultural dance groups, and school programs.
Daphne, a representative of a community association that works closely with children, said her group participates each year to help spread holiday cheer.
“We work with children, and what better way to spread holiday cheer to our community than to participate in the parade,” she said. “It brings our community together, and it shows that we’re one. It makes us stronger.” This year marked her third time joining the Wallkill event.
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Another group adding color and culture to the parade was a multicultural dance ensemble led by Melissa and her mother, Guillermina, who founded the group years ago. Melissa explained that their goal is to celebrate and share diverse cultural traditions.
“We try to incorporate Mexican culture, Colombian culture — a little bit of everything,” Melissa said. “Our group is like a big family. Everyone is welcome as long as they have the passion to dance.”
Though they have participated in Wallkill events before, Melissa said they were “very happy and honored” to be part of this year’s parade.
Middletown High School’s NJROTC program also marched in the parade. Diana, representing the group, said this was her third time participating. She noted that taking part in the event allows cadets to support the community and be present for an important local tradition.
Families celebrate together
Local residents also turned out in large numbers. Kurt and his wife Veronica attended with their grandchildren.
“We live in the Town of Wallkill,” Kurt said. “We heard about how great the celebration is. We’ve been here before, and we enjoy coming with our family.”
The parade concluded with the lighting of the holiday tree at the Galleria, followed by a choreographed drone show that lit up the night sky — a highlight for children and adults alike.
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