New Rochelle Storywalk Adds Spirit Of Adventure To Holiday Shopping

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — There is only one holiday tradition that lets you window shop and support local businesses, all while sharing a storybook to help the visions of sugarplums dance in your kids' heads.

New Rochelle's downtown Storywalk is back for the holidays.

From now through the new year, the New Rochelle Public Library and New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District are partnering to bring a special Storywalk that will have families and children reading a book’s pages progressively in downtown merchant windows during the holidays.

And this holiday season, the tale that unfolds as you stroll along the downtown storefronts, has an extra special connection to the denizens of New Rochelle.

The Storywalk book, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," by Robert May, is now in 17 Main Street business windows. This year’s book has a particularly special meaning because the author lived and wrote the book in New Rochelle and was honored with an event and a plaque in Downtown’s Walk of Fame at Ruby Dee Park on Dec. 4.

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"This book is a meaningful holiday story that families and children of all ages continue to enjoy," Robert Simic, Head of Children’s Services, New Rochelle Public Library, explained. "We are also pleased to present the story in both English and Spanish so everyone in our community can enjoy this classic story while strolling downtown."

Children, along with their friends and families, can begin the free story activity at the library’s Lawton Street entrance. There, they can get the map that provides the locations where all of the book’s pages are posted. Throughout the New Rochelle Downtown’s Main Street shops, the participating businesses will have their pages of the story displayed in their windows in both English and Spanish.

"We are so pleased that families and children will read this classic holiday story at their own pace while enjoying downtown New Rochelle," said Tom Geoffino, Director, New Rochelle Public Library. "Once participants have a chance to read the story, shop, and dine, we hope they will stop by the Library to explore and borrow from our wonderful collection of books, DVDs, and CDs."

Storywalk is a national program created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in conjunction with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

"We can’t wait to have you be part of the special Rudolph holiday magic that is happening here in New Rochelle Downtown when you come for this special Storywalk activity," New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District Director Karel Littman said. "And we hope everyone will grab a bite to eat and do some gift list shopping at the same time."