Bayside Hills Civic to Host Holiday Festival on Dec. 9

The Bayside Hills Civic Association will host its 19^th annual Menorah and Christmas tree lighting this weekend.

The holiday festival will begin at 5 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the corner of Bell Boulevard and 53^rd Avenue in Bayside.

Michael Feiner, the civic association’s president, said the group has been gathering to sing holiday tunes as well as light the Menorah and Christmas tree every year since 1994.

“We want this to be the best one we’ve ever done,” he said. “With Hurricane Sandy now in the past, we want to go from the dark into the light. Chanukah is the festival of lights and, for Christmas, you light up the tree. So, we want this to be a special event.”

Refreshments at the event will include hot chocolate and candy canes for children.

Santa Claus will make an appearance and local youths will be able to decorate the Christmas tree.

The civic has invited state Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, state Assemblyman David Weprin, D-Little Neck, and City Council members Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, and Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone.

Feiner said the annual event typically draws between 100 to 150 people.

P.S. 203’s Squeezebox 9 will perform, while the Oakland Little Neck Jewish Center Hebrew School will read Chanukah prayers.

For more information, visit the Bayside Hills Civic Association’s website.