The Village of Montgomery board recently announced a plethora of events coming to the village this December, including a ceremony for the Pearl Harbor attack and several surprises to get residents into the season’s spirit
Pearl Harbor Remembrance
The village and American Legion Post 521 will host their annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance on Thursday, December 7 at 10 a.m. at the Pleasure Grounds near Tice Road and Powell Landing. Members of the legion will throw wreaths into the Wallkill Valley River while playing “Taps”, a special bugle call, commemorating the lives lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The ceremony will last about 45 minutes.
The Montgomery Recreation Center, located at 60 Bachelor Street, will offer refreshments following the tribute.
An Olde Fashioned Holiday
Residents can enjoy a jam-packed, holiday celebration during the village’s annual “An Olde Fashioned Holiday,” hosted all day throughout the municipality on Saturday, December 9.
The celebration will start with the Montgomery Fire Department, which will sell trees and wreaths between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 136 Ward Street. At 9:45 a.m., attendees can participate in a 4-mile race starting at the Montgomery Museum Village; admission will cost $25 per adult and $20 per child.
Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the Montgomery Montessori School will host a vendor fair on Clinton Street comprising several artisan vendors. The school will also invite residents to roast smores in its parking lot from 4 to 5 p.m.
The First Presbyterian Church, located on Clinton Street, will offer attendees “soup to go” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and host a Live Nativity from 3 to 5 p.m. The Knights of Columbus will offer hot chocolate in St. Mary’s Church in the village parking lot and will accept donations to fund coats for local children from 3 to 5 p.m.
The Montgomery Museum Village will offer cookies and cider from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; its neighbor, the Orange County Firefighters Museum, will be open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can also enjoy wagon rides on Wallkill Avenue near the village museum from 3 to 5 p.m.
From 2 to 4 p.m., students from the Valley Central High School and Middle School will perform at the village hall, followed by singer Kevin Cronin from 4 to 5 p.m. From 2 to 3 p.m., Santa Claus will ride into the village on a fire truck and families will have the chance to take photos with Santa at the village’s bandstand from 3 to 5 p.m.
Around 5:15 p.m. the event will conclude with a tree lighting at the village hall.
Operation Toy Train
The Toys for Tots train, courtesy of the village and Operation Toy Train, will make a pit stop at Montgomery’s Lumber Lot on 46 Railroad Avenue on Sunday, December 10 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. and accept donations for unwrapped toys. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Montgomery’s JROTC will help load the toys onto the train and offer free hot chocolate to all attendees.
These toys will be sent to the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh and distributed by the U.S. Marine Corps to children in need across Orange and Sullivan County.
For questions, contact Trustee Michael Hembury at the village hall. Residents can also drop off toys at the village hall prior to December 10.
House Decorating Contest
Have a knack for holiday decor? The village will host its annual house decoration contest on Sunday, December 10, when judges will stroll through the neighborhood and determine which homes are the most festive. The village board will announce three winners during its December 19 meeting, and local businesses will provide prizes.
Anyone who wishes to participate just needs to decorate their home by December 9.
Pine Bush Holiday Concert
The Pine Bush Community Band will visit the Montgomery Senior Center at 36 Bridge Street on Sunday, December 14 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and perform several holiday tunes for residents. Everyone is welcome to attend for free.