Huntington's 2016 Holiday Parade of Lights is Canceled

The annual Holiday Parade of Lights scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25 in Huntington is canceled due to ongoing construction at the historic Huntington Lighthouse, the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society announced Monday.

The 104-year old Huntington Lighthouse is currently undergoing construction work to its foundation, which poses logistical challenges to holding the parade this year, the Town of Huntington said.

“This was an extremely difficult decision; however, the ongoing construction work at the lighthouse necessitated this year’s cancellation,” Pam Setchell, HLPS President, said in a statement. “We are pleased with the progress of work being done to preserve this historic beacon, and look forward to the return of the boat parade for the 2017 holiday season.”

If the construction vessels, including barges and tugboats, that are currently stationed at the lighthouse seek “Safe Haven” due to weather conditions around the time of the boat parade, they could create additional traffic and impact the parade staging area, the Town says.

The Town is also concerned over the popularity of the parade and the possibility that the larger boats that would participate in the parade could cause encroachment to the construction areas as well as safety concerns for overall boater safety for parade participants.

The Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society has been planning the restoration work and raising funds to make lighthouse repairs for more than five years. Fundraising events and support from the community has raised $725,000 of the $871,000 goal. These funds also enabled a $250,000 matching grant from the New York State Department of Parks and Historic Preservation. A budget gap of $150,00 still remains for phase one of the project, however. The project is anticipated to be completed by summer 2017.

For more information about the Huntington Lighthouse, visit: www.huntingtonlighthouse.org. For information about the boat parade, contact: pam@huntingtonlighthouse.org.

Image via Town of Huntington