It’s not the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade yet, but what is now dubbed Santafest seems to be growing year by year in East Hampton Village. This year it will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the parade will feature its first grand marshal, John Ryan Sr.
Mr. Ryan, 90, said he was surprised to be tapped for the role. In a phone call, he described his lucky life. “I’ve never had to join the real world. I started as an ocean lifeguard, and after became a teacher. That’s not the real world. Living in East Hampton, being a teacher, and being a lifeguard is not hard at all, it’s wonderful.” Mr. Ryan said he counts nearly 50 family members living in East Hampton. “How many of those 50 became ocean lifeguards? God bless me, it’s up near 30.” He will be riding in a float with his youngest grandson.
“We wanted someone who has done a lot for our community,” said Mayor Jerry Larsen. “John was a schoolteacher, he has been on the school board for many years, he was a volunteer ambulance worker for decades, and the lifeguard program that he started has trained thousands of children. The man is incredible and a role model. Each year when we pick a grand marshal, he will be the example of people we will be looking for.”
The festivities begin when Santa lands in the middle of Herrick Park in a helicopter at 11 a.m., just like the old times (ho, ho, ho). Mary Waserstein, the event manager, said East Hampton High School’s Bonac Dance Club will be performing while the middle school band plays. Volunteers from the high school will make the rounds in the crowd, handing out Santafest bracelets.
Santa will then receive a police escort to David’s Lane and Main Street, where the parade will begin at noon. It will follow Main Street before making the left on Newtown Lane, and ending at the entrance to Herrick Park, where Hugh King, the East Hampton Village historian, will announce the floats. (“I’m older than Hugh, but he looks older,” quipped Mr. Ryan.)
“The floats of the parade are going to be judged by fifth graders from the John Marshall leadership council,” said Ms. Waserstein.
After the parade, between 1 and 4, there will be free holiday-inspired events through the village. At Millstone Park (the green square in front of Ralph Lauren’s Double RL store and next to Bonne Nuit), families can visit Santa’s Village and have a photo taken. (This event, along with the Dreesen’s food truck, which will offer free hot cocoa and doughnuts, has been underwritten by an anonymous donor going by the name Elf Tinsel Tallwood.)
Over at the Ladies Village Improvement Society headquarters, children can chat with Mrs. Claus and enjoy a pony ride. Across the street from the L.V.I.S., the Palm will host Candyland, where children can decorate a Grindstone doughnut. At 1 p.m. and again at 3, at the East Hampton Middle School, “The Grinch” will play on the big screen. (And, speaking of the Grinch, a well-known village official will be dressed as the Grinch.) Inflatable Christmas-theme decorations will dot the village.
“It’ll be like a Hallmark movie,” said Marcos Baladron, the village administrator, who confirmed he won’t be in costume. “A little Disneyland of Christmas.”
All the while, on the lawn of Village Hall, over 30 vendors hope to provide perfect gifts. “They’ll be selling everything from cookies to jewelry to clothing,” said Ms. Waserstein. “You can pick out your paper, go inside, and get it wrapped, free of charge, by the L.V.I.S.” A gingerbread version of the Main Beach Pavilion will be raffled off to benefit the East Hampton Village Foundation.
It all culminates at the 5 p.m. tree lighting (a new 40-foot artificial tree was bought by the East Hampton Village Foundation and placed in Herrick Park. “It has a 15-to-20-year life span,” said Mr. Baladron), presided over by Mr. Ryan. Parade float winners will be announced along with the winners of the Ralph Lauren window decorating contest.
“This is the fourth year of the event,” said Mr. Baladron. “The crowds keep doubling in size. To see these kids, the joy of Christmas, we kind of got addicted to it, we wanted to prolong it.”
“This whole thing is done so everyone can attend all the events and it’s no charge,” said Ms. Waserstein. “People forget that we live in such an economically diverse community.” How is it free? Much has been underwritten by the East Hampton Village Foundation, but the Police Benevolent Association, the Fire Department, Emergency Services Department, and local vendors, all donated time and money.
Even parking will be free, with restrictions lifted. Should it rain on Saturday, the event will take place on Sunday instead.
